“What can I do? I like farmers,” President Donald Trump said in opening comments Monday during his second appearance in two years at the 100th anniversary convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in New Orleans, La.

Trump spent the most time defending his call for national security and the need for a wall along the border with Mexico in his nearly hour-long speech before more than 6,000 attendees as well as those who viewed his speech via live stream.

“As President, the defense of our nation is our highest and most important duty. When it comes to keeping American people safe, I will never, ever back down,” Trump said. He did add that he understands the need for farmers to have access to workers and is "going to make it easier" to let foreign-born workers in to help farmers.

He welcomed to the stage an Arizona rancher, Jim Chilton, who farms along the border whose security camera has taken a 1,000 pictures of major drug packers traveling across his farm and damaging property or injuring livestock.

“Mr. President, we need a wall,” Chilton told the audience after the President invited him to speak. “I would say to speaker [of the House Nancy] Pelosi that walls are not immoral,” and he relayed that, in his travels around the world, the biggest wall he has seen is around the Vatican. “They have a wall. Why can’t we?”

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Trump said the only reason Democrats are stopping the approval of building the wall is to win favor for the 2020 elections, but he explained that he’s not doing it for political reasons.

However, the impact of the shutdown continues to ripple through the countryside. In a statement Monday, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) called on Congress and the Administration to reopen the government and end the harm to American agriculture.

“The impacts of this shutdown are real. Not only are farmers and ranchers unable to use a host of existing [U.S. Department of Agriculture] programs they depend on; they also can’t use important programs they need now from the recently enacted farm bill,” NASDA president and New Mexico agriculture secretary Jeff Witte said. “Without them, the financial stress and challenges farmers are facing will keep accumulating.”

North Dakota agriculture commissioner Doug Goehring said farmers and ranchers are hoping to have loans approved by early spring, which influences decisions about land leases, cropping intentions and crop and livestock inputs. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) typically issues and processes these loans. “Some producers are dependent on FSA loans, and it is vital that they are processed in a timely manner,” Goehring said.

Trump said USDA is “doing everything it can to help in the ongoing shutdown.”

Touting wins for ag

Trump pointed out that he has delivered on several wins beneficial for those in agriculture, including opening up new markets to exports and eliminating a record number of “job-killing regulations.”

He said, under the regulations, “Farmers got hit probably as much as anybody.” He also highlighted the important regulatory reforms led by his Administration. USDA rolled back $400 million in regulatory costs last year alone, and those savings are projected to double this year. Trump  called the waters of the U.S. rule a "total kill” on farmers and other businesses.

“We’re going to keep federal regulators out of your tanks, your stock tanks, your drainage ditches, your puddles and your ponds,” he said. “We’re going to get government off your back so you can continue living and supporting your families doing what you love.”

In addition, to help keep family farms in the family, the recent tax bill “virtually eliminated the estate tax, also known as the death tax,” Trump said. He said the tax cuts are expected to save upwards of $4,000 in taxes per household per year.

He also said he promises to deliver on making E15 ethanol fuel blends available year-round.

Trump said he was proud to sign the farm bill at the end of 2018: “We got it done. That wasn’t easy either.” He added that it delivers for farmers critical farm programs like crop insurance and increases the loan amounts farmers can borrow as well as secures the $600 million commitment to build and modernize an effective rural broadband system.

Throughout his speech, Trump also interjected his focus on trying to eliminate trade barriers and “replacing one-sided, unfair trade deals.” He touted the positive advancements on wheat, dairy and poultry from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

He closed out his speech by saying the American farmer embodies the timeless values of America. “You believe in hard work and self-reliance. You follow the rules and obey our laws and respect our great American plan. ... Always loyal to this magnificent nation that we so love. Now, you have a government that is loyal to you, finally, in return.”