China hits USA with 15% farm tariffs. I fail to see the threat.

Photo above - grand re-opening, under new management. A Chinese "wet market" selling dogs. Inquiring minds want to know: is China's new 15% tariff on legitimate US food imports going to lead to more domestic dog slaughter?

Last week, Trump hit China with an additional 10% tariff because they were dragging their feet on stopping the flow of Fentanyl to the USA (and other countries, it should be noted). This week China retaliated by imposing a 15% tariff on American farm products (see link below). Um . . . is this because Fentanyl is a vital export product from China, and they cannot afford to scale back their manufacturing and distribution?

Well, China IS in the middle of a huge recession. And America might be soon also, if this tariff stuff gains traction. But the two countries couldn’t be more different.

1 – China has hundreds of thousands of vacant apartments. Often half-finished in the middle of nowhere. America has a housing shortage. Even Chinese people - especially the well to do - are trying to get into the USA and Canada.

2 – China – despite several “great leap forward” attempts – still cannot feed itself. Meat of all kinds, and soybeans are particular problems. America is the free-market food supplier to every nation on earth which struggles with basic agriculture.

3 – In fact, the US government PAYS farmers to leave land unplowed. How long has THIS been going on? Since 1933. How much are we paying to keep farms unplanted? In 2022, the most recent year for published data, it was over $15 billion. Yeah, my mind is blown too. See second link below.

China certainly isn’t paying anyone not to plant crops or stop raising pork. In fact, things are so dicey in the Celestial Empire that they are still eating bats, rats and pangolins. They've revived their annual “dogmeat” celebration. Also on the menu: peacocks, kangaroos, camels, and cats. You can Google this if you don’t believe me. We have an uncensored internet. The good news? They stopped eating dolphins and whales . . .

So this MIGHT be a win-win situation for the USA (not so much for Chinese bats, cats, and dogs however). Their 15% imported food tariff would be paid by Chinese consumers. No harm, no foul to American producers. And If Chinese imports go down, America will then have a more abundant domestic supply (poultry, beef, pork, soy, etc.) and our own prices should go down. We might also want to consider cutting off that $15 billion "don't plant" slush fund for farmers. I hope this isn't keeping them indoors watching NASCAR during this spring's planting season.

¡Presidente Trump - escucha! I urge you stop these nonsensical Canadian tariffs. Those hosers are NOT our enemy. Chairman Xi Jinping is the enemy. If you think there's some Canadian Fentanyl factory hidden up there, use a drone to take it out. The way President Clinton did with the VX nerve gas factory in Sudan. Double down on the Chinese tariffs. If Xi imposes a 100% tariff on food imported from America, we have won. And he just might be stupid enough to try it. Chairman Xi doesn't have access to an uncensored internet, after all, and tends to imprison people who give unsolicited advice . . .

I’m just sayin’ . . .

China strikes back at Trump tariffs with 15% levies targeting U.S. farmers

Does the US still pay farmers not to grow? - Geographic FAQ Hub: Answers to Your Global Questions