On Friday, China announced it will increase tariffs on $75 billion worth of American goods, including a number of Ag products.  Starting Monday, September 1st, China plans to raise tariffs on soybeans and pork.  And then December 1st, tariffs on corn, sorghum and wheat will increase.

 

"It’s no surprise that China is slapping even more tariffs on American products," said National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson."Every time Trump escalates his trade war, China calls his bluff, and why would we expect any differently this time around? And it’s no surprise that farmers are again the target.”

 

Johnson acknowledged the farm economy was soft well before the trade war began.  He noted that farmers are making half of what they were in 2013.  Johnson said overproduction and climate change continue to make the job of the American farmer more and more difficult.

 

“But instead of looking to solve existing problems in our agricultural sector, this administration has just created new ones," Johnson added.  "Between burning bridges with all of our biggest trading partners and undermining our domestic biofuels industry, President Trump is making things worse, not better.”

 

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