Remarks by President Trump at the 91st Annual Future Farmers of America Convention and Expo | Eastern North Carolina Now

    We're lifting harmful restrictions on forestry so you can log more timber, plant more trees, and export more renewable resources to other countries. (Applause.) I mean, think of it: We're importing lumber and timber and trees from other countries, and we have 10 times more than they have. Explain that one. But it's all being brought back. You know, a part of our campaign when we won two years ago on that great, great evening, that great movement - the greatest movement in American politics, it was based on common sense. (Applause.) Common sense. (Applause.)

    To support incredible programs like the FFA, my administration is expanding apprenticeships - I love that word. "The Apprentice." (Applause.) Apprenticeships, on-the-job-training, and vocational education. (Applause.)

    We are providing more than $1 billion annually to keep vocational education and agriculture education in our public schools. How about that? (Applause.) You're a hard crowd to figure. I thought that would be good, but I didn't see that as a standing - some of the ones that got a little applause, I thought that was going to be a - see, I just don't know the farm business, I guess. (Laughter.) But it is true, we're going to help you a lot, educationally.

    Thanks to our America First - does everybody like American First? Don't we like it? (Applause.) It's about time. But thanks to our America First agenda, you are coming of age during a new era of American prosperity.

    We've created more than 4.2 million new jobs since the election. And very importantly, we've lifted 4.2 million Americans off of food stamps. (Applause.)

    More Americans are working today than at any point in the history of our country. How good is that as a soundbite? When I'm debating one of these characters - I'll be debating a Democrat. You saw that. Although, I don't know, maybe Elizabeth Warren is gone. She may be gone. She may be gone. What a sad thing happened to her. (Laughter.) Turned out that I had more Indian blood in me than she has. (Laughter and applause.) What a sad event. And I have none, so, you know. (Laughs.) We can't resist. Can we resist?

    No, but how good is that as a soundbite? You're on a debate stage and you say, "We are, right now, having more people working in the United States than - by far - than ever before." Today. Right now. (Applause.) Just can't (inaudible). (Applause.) That's a good soundbite.

    The unemployment rate just fell to the lowest level in more than 50 years. That's another good soundbite. Here's one that I love - here's one that I love: the Hispanic - Hispanic American, African American - Kanye West, was he great? He did me a big favor. (Applause.) Kanye! People like him. And Asian American unemployment have all reached their lowest rates ever recorded. Think of that. Unemployment. African American, Hispanic American, Asian American - lowest ever.


    And you've heard me say this, and I can't - I don't know. I've let the women down, because women's unemployment - I've been waiting for months for this thing to change. It doesn't change. Women's unemployment has only fallen to the lowest level in 65 years, as opposed to history. As opposed to historic. (Applause.) But women lowest - best numbers in 65 years. Can you imagine? And I'm disappointed by that, because everything else is "historic," "in history." But that's going to be changing very shortly. I think as soon as the next graph comes out, hopefully.

    No one is better prepared to live the American Dream than the young Americans here today. You are amazing people. (Applause.) Amazing. You are amazing people.

    Your time with the FFA in the field, on the farm, in the lab, and in the classroom has not only prepared you for a stellar great career in something you love; it's taught you essential truths about life and about the world in which we live.

    You know that success only comes through hard work and perseverance. You know that very well. You know that nothing compares to the satisfaction of an achievement earned and built with your own sweat, your own skill, and with your own two hands. You know that. (Applause.) True. It's true.

    And you know that just one - you know a "just one," right? Right? (Applause.) "Just One." That's interesting. That's a pretty popular term and a pretty great group. But you know that just one person taking one step, seizing one opportunity, can change a life, change a community or even change the world forever. You know that. (Applause.) Just one.

    All it took was just one Iowa farm boy to change the course of human history in the last century. You know that. Where is Iowa here? Where is it? (Applause.)

    His name was Dr. Norman Borlaug. You know that, right? Dr. Norman Borlaug. (Applause.) Very important life and man. Norman had many setbacks in life but he never, ever gave up. He was known - he wouldn't give up. His teacher said that Norman will not be defeated by difficulty, and he burns with missionary zeal.

    Even after Norman failed his college entrance exams, he failed them. He was devastated. But he kept on pushing forward. Eventually, he earned a PhD, developed a revolutionary variety of high-yield wheat, and he won the Nobel Peace - well, do you know this? Can you believe it? He won the Nobel Peace Prize. They probably will never give it to me, even what I'm doing in Korea, and in Idlib Province and all of these places. They probably will never give it to me. You know why? Because they don't want to. (Laughter.)

    But Norman got the Nobel Peace Prize. How about that? (Applause.) And he got the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom - our highest award after, in my opinion, the Congressional Medal of Honor. And I've given some of them out; these are brave, brave, incredible people. (Applause.) Incredible people.

    His innovation saved countless millions of lives around the world from starvation. That is the awesome power of just one courageous American farmer. And that is the legacy each of you inherited today. That's an incredible legacy. You have no idea how important the farm and farmers are. That's what it's about. It's so important. You don't - you know, people tend of take things for granted. You're truly great and important people. You're doing a service that's incredible, but importantly, you're also doing something that you love: farming. (Applause.)

    I want to recognize three very special FFA members who are carrying on that legacy. The winners of this year's American Star Award who are with us today. Stand up when I call your name, or come up here if you want. If you want to shake my hand, I'll shake your hand. (Applause.)

    Austin Stanton is from Centralia, Missouri. (Applause.) Come on up here.

    They have a lot of ego. You know, I said, "Come up here if you want to. Come up." They jumped out of that seat so fast - they were up here. (Laughter.) That was like rocket ships.

    In high school, Austin bought 600 chickens to diversify the family farm. (Applause.) Austin, I assume you know those people.

    STANTON: I know them.


    THE PRESIDENT: Oh, you do know them. He knows you. Look at them. They won't sit down for you, Austin. That's good. No, no, stand up. Look, you deserve it. Austin deserves it.

    Now he owns more than 15,000 chickens, and sells eggs to local restaurants, grocery stores, and even his own university. Wow, that's fantastic. Congratulations, Austin. (Applause.) Wow.

    Also with us is Ben Curtin from Taylorville, Illinois. (Applause.) Hey, Ben, I'm going to Illinois after this. You want to come with me? I'll drop you off.

    CURTIN: (Inaudible.)

    THE PRESIDENT: I will. I'll drop you off if you want. (Laughter.) We'll take him in Air Force One, if he wants to go. (Applause.) I don't know - I don't know if we're going to be dropping him anywhere near his - he may have to travel for two days after he gets dropped off, but - (laughter) - but you're invited to come with us. Thank you, Ben.

    Through FFA, Ben gained the mechanical and marketing skills to transform his metalworking hobby into a successful business. A very successful one. Now as a student at Purdue University - a great college, a great school. What a great school. He makes tractor grapples, mounting plates, and other agricultural equipment. Ben, great job and congratulations. Fantastic. (Applause.) Thank you, Ben. Great job.

    And finally, we have Colin Wegner from Wells, Minnesota. (Applause.) These are popular people. Throughout high school and college, Colin's FFA experience involved working on his family farm, bailing hay, planting corn, harvesting soybeans, and operating very heavy machinery. Today he is the fifth generation to work on his family's farm, and that is really something incredible. And he's doing a great job. (Applause.) He's doing a great job. And he's doing better than any of the predecessors, right?

    Congratulations. That's really fantastic, fellas. That's beautiful. (Applause.) Great people. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Very successful.

    America's future depends on young leaders like you who are proud of who you are, proud of where they come from, proud of the American values we all hold dear.

    The FFA creed has taught you to believe in self-reliance and honest dealing, to never give up in the face of hardship. And as farmers, you have it both ways. You have hardship and you have great, great, great success.

    Most of all, that creed promises that if you will hold true to the best traditions of our national life, if you cherish our freedom, our values, and our country, there is nothing that you cannot achieve. Nothing. (Applause.) Beautiful. Beautiful. Great people in this room.

    From the green hillsides of Virginia - (applause) - to the fertile valleys of California - (applause) - and we're trying to get you a lot more water that they're sending out into the Pacific, by the way. (Applause.) You know what I' talking about, right? "Where's all that water going?" "Sir, we send it out to the Pacific Ocean." I said, "Why don't you let it come down for the farmers?" We're working hard. It's getting close. You have some great Republican congressmen that are working hard. (Applause.) That will make those farms as good as it gets anywhere in the world.

    And from the plains of our heartland to the peaks of the West, the future farmers of America will lift our nation to new heights. That's what you're going to do.

    You will make amazing new discoveries and achieve extraordinary new feats. You will carry on the traditions passed down through generations. And you will do it with the skill and grit and heart and strength and pride that make America's farmers, by far, the best in the world. (Applause.)

    The greatest and most important days for the American farmer are yet to come, and you will take us there. You will take us to new levels. You are the ones shaping our industry. You are the ones who will shape our destiny. You are the ones writing our history. And you are the future farmers of America. You're the ones who will help, truly - you've heard my expression, "Make America Great Again." You will make America great again. (Applause.)

    Thank you. God bless you. God bless the American farmer. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you! Incredible people. (Applause.)

    END

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