Fucking Moron (tm), the soybean edition

[timelets]

It's not about manufacturing any more:

Brazil, which overtook the U.S. as the world’s biggest soybean exporter several years ago, stands to gain ground. The U.S. share of world soybean exports is expected to drop to 31% this season, the lowest on record, while Brazil’s portion is forecast to swell to 52%, which would be its largest ever.



At an agricultural forum in Beijing last fall, according to Mr. Schickler, China’s deputy agriculture minister said China would not easily forget the current standoff, and China is building alternatives for soybean imports so it will never again be so dependent on a single source.

According to Mr. Sutter, the CEO of the Soybean Export Council, Chinese companies are working to develop soybean production in Russia, where soybeans haven’t yet become a major crop.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/farmers-built-a-soybean-export-empire-around-china-now-theyre-fighting-to-save-it-11562260248

Instead of US farmers making money by selling their goods abroad, the US government gives them a subsidy of $28B to offset its protectionist trade policies.

Comments

[tijd]

“Great Patriot Farmers” https://mobile.twitter.com/i/events/1128323294191443968

Given my studies and interests, I'm sure I'm too sensitive to this stuff -- "enemy of the people," etc. But "Great Patriot Farmers"? Pure Soviet. I mean, Americans don't talk this way, ordinarily. This is a little creepy to my (tender?) ears. https://t.co/Veeb3GFpkZ

— Jay Nordlinger (@jaynordlinger) May 12, 2019

[timelets]

Yeah, that too. But i'm more concerned about dumb trade policies created by this administration. You see, China subsidizes producers to make their goods more competitive. By contrast, the US subsidizes farmers to make them less competitive. The fucking moron is simply buying political support, using government money. As the result we get the worst of both worlds: taxpayer–funded subsidies and market share losses.