China has been a big part of the market turmoil over the last several weeks.
Analyst Mike Zuzolo says many traders are operating under the belief that a deal will soon be reached. However, he is not so sure, saying that the people President Trump has chosen to negotiate trade with have their hearts in rural America.
“Almost all of them come from the same background of the middle part of the country and have seen their towns or cities hollowed out, manufacturing hollowed out, and I think the proof is in the pudding at this point of what he’s willing to do, even if it means, as he would say, short-term pain for long-term gain.”
Related Stories
While the agriculture industry hoped details on proposed “bridge” payments for farmers would be released this week, Ag Secretary Brook Rollins said the USDA is still working with the White House on the finer points.
China’s renewed purchases signal improving sorghum demand at a time when export markets are otherwise uneven. Meanwhile, agriculture groups across the U.S, Canada, and Mexico want to protect close trade relations.
Pressure on grain storage capacity and stronger export positioning are pushing more grain onto railroads, highways, and river systems as logistics become a key bottleneck this fall.
The Cotton-4 are pushing hard for new value chain investments. Still, many U.S. cotton producers face unsustainable losses, and weakened regional textile capacity threatens the survival of the Carolina “dirt-to-shirt” supply chain.
Despite the need for swift action, many ag lawmakers and industry groups argue that farm aid alone will likely not be sufficient to help farmers without improved trade relations with China.
