Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles didn’t specifically mention tariffs, but hinted at them, saying he wanted to work to "increase market access."
"In an era of uncertainty over international trade, the truth is this: Kentucky needs international trade, but more importantly, the rest of the world needs Kentucky agriculture," Quarles said.
"I believe in capitalism, I believe in the free market and I believe also in making sure that our global trading partners treat us fairly. Sometimes that’s tough. But I also believe that our Kentucky farmers should not have to be collateral damage in a trade war," Fischer said.
"There’s times when it’s up, there’s times when it’s down, there’s times when it’s in between," Bevin said. "There’s a lot of unknowns, there’s so many things beyond your control."
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin addressed a packed room at Murray City Hall on Friday. He fielded questions from attendees that ranged from alternative fixes for the state’s ailing pension system to his opinion on President Donald Trump’s retaliatory tariffs.