I got an email from someone who visted some hog famers in China some years back. At that time the average hog farmer was earning about twice what the average city worker earned.
About 15 years ago a number of hog breeders began sending breeding stock over there, along with training about proper nutrition. Until then, the chinese didn’t use any soybean meal for a protein supplement for their hogs. That has all changed in the past 15 years or so, which accounts for the higher demand for soybean meal (that meal is usually 44 to 48% protein, and an excellant supplement)
He didn’t answer the question about selling pork to China. I think we can, but I’m not sure.
The reason I asked the question is I would be quite upset if our trade agreements were still slanted against US benefit. We should at least have the ability to market pork to China if we have to buy their crap. I heard pork inflation was rampant in China, so I assumed they would look at outside sources.
I was raised in Texas and rice was big business here. When barriers started falling years ago, we bought Honda's and Toyota's, but Japan blocked imports of rice to protect their farmers. They said our rice wasn't "equivalent" or as good as theirs. I can't seem to follow day by day agreements with other countries, so I depend on talking heads to tell me FACTS. Of course it depends on whose spin you get as to what you believe. If "Free Trade" isn't Free Trade, then I want to know. I'm for Fair Trade, but its hard to find out the truth. Depending on whose ox is being gored, the "facts" seem to change.
Just on ethanol itself, we are making corn farmers rich, but won't buy from Brazil. The US has a 57cent tariff on "Caribbean" ethanol. Well instead of sending aid to Haiti, why not buy cane from them, or even the finished product? The ethanol plants here are getting squeezed because of the margin for corn, but if they moved a plant to Haiti, or Puerto Rico, or The Dom Republic, we could probably import ethanol for $1 a gallon and give them some help without just writing welfare checks. It would pi$$ off the corn farmers, but I think they can sell all they grow now all over the world. By destroying ethanol for fuel because we won't use anything but Iowa corn, we destroy our whole economy with food inflation and fuel prices. When the US ethanol bidness crashes, then they will say, "Been there, done that", so we can move on to mopeds and bicycles. The obsession over hydrogen won't happen soon if ever. By buying ethanol from other sources, we may get it to work without destroying our economy. If the government touts free trade but won't buy from Brazil, then what's up with that? I know China needs pork, so get the boats going.