The president of the National Farmer’s Union is sounding a clarion call to the Trump administration that China is being permanently lost as an agricultural export market. They aren’t going to come back to buying our products if they have no confidence in American trade policy, which has been flushed down the crapper over the last couple of years. This is not farmers taking one for the team. This is farmers and many other exporters being permanently disabled.
Trade group leader Roger Johnson said in a radio interview Thursday that it will take “decades” to reverse damage caused by Trump. China, he added, is now a “lost market” for American farmers because of Trump’s trade war.
And this little gem;
“I would … argue that it would be far more effective if we did it with the rest of world, instead of first ticking off the rest of the world and then trying to do it all by ourself,” he said.
This is all a result of taking nationalism way too far, leaving the realm of patriotism and national self interest and blindly entering the world of isolationism. This is not hating on Trump, this is real world consequences of his actions. China has complete control over their economy and their farmers and manufacturers, we never had a chance of winning a trade war with them. And don’t dare anyone accuse me of wanting that same kind of control here, it is pretty much the last thing I would ever advocate for. It’s just a fact of the matter at hand.
I’ll stop before I create a dang wall of text. The article goes into much more detail.
Yet another reason for the government to federally legalize recreational cannabis. Help salvage the Ag sector and capitalize on a new cash crop before production goes elsewhere.
Yes, there has been much discussion about the tariffs and all manner of trade issues. I thought we needed a more narrowly focused thread strictly on the loss of China as a trading partner, at least in the agriculture sector. And I agree it will likely be a very long time before we even get back to where we started much less work at an advantage to American suppliers.
Johnson slammed the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency — reportedly ordered by Trump — to grant waivers to 31 petroleum refineries effectively exempting them from having to use more corn-based ethanol in their products. It was yet another blow to struggling corn farmers in deference to what Johnson called the “wealthiest oil companies on the face of the planet.”
Donald’s even pitting farmers against Big Oil Corporations.
What is wild to me is the number of farmers across the Midwest that remain firmly in Trump’s camp, despite these realities. They see this as a long game, in which they believe that the Trump approach to China will result in a better trade arrangement for their children and grandchildren, if only seen through to fruition.
I hope they are right. But I highly doubt they are. As someone with a modicum of macroeconomic understanding, I believe they are going to be extremely disappointed.
I don’t think it’s bizarre at all. Trump has been screwing the middle class his entire life in order to get richer and likely sees the government as being a device to serve the 1%
the farmers are screwed. these markets arent coming back. all trump has managed to do is show the world the US cant be trusted as a partner.
the damage to america trump has caused will take decades to be repaired if its even possible.
i think its more likely that he is the clarion call of the downfall of america as a major world power
I believe this is why Trump is so fascinated with and studied the collection of Hitler speeches. It taught him how to use emotion to convince the population to act against their own self interests
They have already changed suppliers to places such as Brazil and others. Yeah they probably aren’t coming back but hey America first right. Isolationism at its finest.
Because you do not understand all the different motivators for many of these types of people that go beyond immediate economic well-being, and Trump does.
But in this particular case…even though Trump’s policies are hurting them…these farmers do feel victimized by decades of globalization and therefore will deal with what they feel is temporary pain rather than trust those they believe sold them out.
Trump understands this
What’s funny is that farmers were not sold out to globalization.
China needs to buy its food from somewhere. If they buy from Brasil or Australia, then American farmers will sell to countries that normally buy food from Brasil or Australia.
The drop in China’s currency, a bad harvest, and a swine epidemic are resulting in a rapid rise in food prices in China.
You’re assuming Brazil/Australia etc won’t increase production to meet demands.
If you can get the same product for roughly the same price, you’ll go for the stable market. Not the market liable to elect another Trump and upend the cart all over again.
Because the people who elected Trump won’t learn anything from all this tarriff fallout. They’ll just blame liberals.
There is a line between nationalism and isolationism that should not be crossed. You could get away with that ■■■■ a century ago, but like it or not, this is a global economy and it’s not going back.
