Rural Nebraskans & Trade Policy
“It’s hard not to hear about trade this year,” observed Jill O’Donell, director of the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance at the University of Nebraska during a recent webinar on rural Nebraskans perceptions on trade policy. The return of President Trump to the White House and his hyper-focus on trade has amped most Americans’ awareness of the issue including rural Nebraskans. With this increased awareness, the Nebraska Rural Poll conducted annually by Nebraska Extension and Rural Prosperity Nebraska sought to gather rural Nebraskans’ perceptions on trade policy. A recent report details the findings from both this and last year’s surveys.
Overall, rural Nebraskans think protecting American jobs, lowering prices for consumers, and creating new export opportunities for agricultural producers and other businesses are very important considerations in trade policy (Figure 2). Fifty-seven percent think protecting American jobs is very important, slightly less than last year (60%). More respondents this year compared to last year say lowering prices for consumers is very important (56% vs. 51%). Just more than half (54%) say creating new export opportunities for agricultural producers and other businesses is very important. But interestingly, only 28% rate using trade policies to pressure countries that challenge U.S. economic and political priorities as very important.
FIGURE 2. Importance of Items in Determining U.S. Trade Policy, 2024 & 2025
Perceptions on trade policy differ based on respondent’s age, occupation, and region. Persons with construction or maintenance occupations view protecting jobs as very important (80%), while 42% of persons in management or professional occupations think the same. Younger people (aged 19-to-29) are more likely to think lower prices for consumers are very important (77%) compared to persons 65 and older (49%). Persons in Northeast Nebraska are more likely than those in other regions to say that lower consumer prices are important. Respondents in the Panhandle are more likely to say creating new export opportunities for agricultural producers and business are very important. All respondents who listed agriculture as an occupation say expanding trade is either important or very important. However, those in agriculture are also more likely to support the use of trade to pressure countries that challenge U.S. economic policies.
Trade policy will continue to be front and center for President Trump. Trade is also an important part of Nebraska’s economy. The findings of Nebraska Rural Poll shed light rural Nebraskans’ views on trade policy and can contribute to the ongoing discussion surrounding the issue. The report can be found at: https://ruralpoll.unl.edu/current-reports/. A recording of a webinar discussing the poll and trade policy with Dr. Brad Lubben and Jill O’Donnell can be found at: https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/25768