President Trump returns to Iowa on Wednesday during the administration’s tech week to draw attention to technological innovations in agriculture before holding an evening campaign-style rally.
The president will visit Kirkwood Community College, the Cedar Rapids institution that White House says is recognized as a center for innovation in the agriculture sector. Trump will take a tour of the college and give remarks.
“We believe the takeaway is even in American agriculture, technology is the key to better yields and to more return,” Ray Starling, a special assistant to the president for agriculture, trade and food assistance, told reporters on Tuesday. “And our next generation of farmers will need to know not only how to turn a wrench, but also how to write code and re-wire circuit boards.”
Starling said the event will also serve as send-off of sorts for former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who was confirmed as Trump’s ambassador to China last month. He said Trump will also make an announcement about how “he is committed to including internet connectivity as a component of the infrastructure effort that he is working on with Congress.”
“Much of the technology that will be demonstrated tomorrow…that’s used on farms and in rural America is dependent upon on access to the Web,” Starling said, “and the penetration of the availability of the Web has obviously lagged in rural areas and the president recognizes that and wants to work with Congress to explore how we best address that challenge.”
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross will also attend, the White House said.
On Wednesday night, Trump will also hold a campaign-sponsored rally at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.
The White House’s focus on technology this week follows attempts over the last two weeks to draw attention to policy issues, including a week dedicated to infrastructure and another week focused on workforce development.
Press secretary Sean Spicer said they plan to spotlight on Thursday drones and universal broadband, referring to “two emerging technologies to the White House that have the potential to revolutionize our economy.”
