Trump administration prepares to start a trade war with the rest of the world

[Eggroll]

right before the start of G20.

http://www.agriculture.com/news/busi...expect-a-fight

Lighthizer Warning: Buy GMOs or Expect a Fight By Chuck Abbott

The Trump administration will attack overseas regulations that restrict the export of GMO crops and other products resulting from American technological innovation, said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer at the first meeting of a newly created interdepartmental task force on rural America. “We are going to bring cases at the WTO and other venues, we’re going to insist that any barrier be science-based, and the United States will increase exports,” he said.

For decades, U.S. policy has called for international trade rules to be based on fact rather than prejudice. The agribusiness community often points to science-based regulation as a way of removing obstacles to the export of genetically engineered crops. While dozens of reviews have maintained that GE crops are safe to eat, they still face significant public opposition in Europe and other places.

President Trump’s executive order creating the task force directed it to look for legislative, regulatory, and policy changes that promote agriculture, including those that “advance the adoption of innovations and technology for agricultural production and long-term, sustainable rural development.” The order identified 13 areas for examination. First on the list is removing “barriers to economic prosperity and quality of life in rural America.” Second is the advancement of agricultural technology.

Lighthizer said one of the top priorities for his office is the removal of trade barriers that cannot be defended scientifically. Exports generate 20¢ of each dollar of U.S. farm income. If other countries unfairly block U.S. exports because of the technology behind them, he said, “there is a reluctance to incorporate that technology into our own production at home.”

U.S. officials routinely urge other nations to approve commercial sales of biotech crops. In the past couple of years, China has been accused of dragging its feet on the approval of new U.S. GE strains. Corn prices in this country fell when China rejected more than 1 million tonnes of U.S. corn earlier this decade because the cargoes included an unapproved GMO variety from Syngenta. In a class-action lawsuit currently under way in Kansas City, farmers have blamed Syngenta for selling the seed, approved by U.S. regulators, before it was cleared by China for import.

....

The task force plan “can be informative and consultative with going forward in the [2018] farm bill,” Perdue told reporters afterward. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Housing Secretary Ben Carson, White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, and Lighthizer sat with Perdue at the head table for the task force’s first meeting, which took place in the glass-roofed “patio” of the USDA administration building. Deregulation was a common theme in their remarks.

Click the link to read the full article, I only copied the parts which relate to the topic in the title.

Sooo, Trump administration is about to make some more friends in the world, huh? Personally I don't understand why the US doesn't just produce crops/foods that are in demand but instead is forcing stuff on other countries that clearly don't want... weird.

[Deleted]

right before the start of G20.

http://www.agriculture.com/news/busi...expect-a-fight



Click the link to read the full article, I only copied the parts which relate to the topic in the title.

Sooo, Trump administration is about to make some more friends in the world, huh? Personally I don't understand why the US doesn't just produce crops/foods that are in demand but instead is forcing stuff on other countries that clearly don't want... weird.

Actually agree with Trump & Co here, the reason they are producing GMO's is because they usually have higher yields/are more sustainable/are less costly to create due to immunity to certain insects/parasites.

As long as there is no science-based reason to deny them from countries (I know the EU is particularly guilty of this) I don't really see why they shouldn't be allowed in.

[Xeones]

What is he doing to start a trade war?

[Phookah]

There isn't any reason for countries to deny GMO's in the first place, besides the typical "I don't know or understand science but BE SCARED GMO'S!!!!111" people.

[Eggroll]

Actually agree with Trump & Co here, the reason they are producing GMO's is because they usually have higher yields/are more sustainable/are less costly to create due to immunity to certain insects/parasites.

As long as there is no science-based reason to deny them from countries (I know the EU is particularly guilty of this) I don't really see why they shouldn't be allowed in.

But EU consumers don't want GMOs in their food. So what are traders supposed to do with the stuff once they bought it? There's simply no demand for it in the EU. And how is the US entitled to force anything on anyone anyways?

[JohnBrown1917]

But EU consumers don't want GMOs in their food. So what are traders supposed to do with the stuff once they bought it? There's simply no demand for it in the EU. And how is the US entitled to force anything on anyone anyways?

Its less about Demand and more about farmers not wanting it because the big GMO companies control everything.

[Eggroll]

There isn't any reason for countries to deny GMO's in the first place, besides the typical "I don't know or understand science but BE SCARED GMO'S!!!!111" people.

Isn't it up to any country how they chose to live? I thought US was all about choice and freedom? Or not?

[Kujako]

Why wont other countries use our patented food that only we can legally supply?!

[Eggroll]

Its less about Demand and more about farmers not wanting it because the big GMO companies control everything.

That's actually not true. Many food products in Germany are promoted with a "GMO free" label. That is actually a thing that people look for.

[zenkai]

That's actually not true. Many food products in Germany are promoted with a "GMO free" label. That is actually a thing that people look for.

Yeah but is it a big cost difference? We have at my grocery stuff like local eggs, grass fed beef, and Organic *insert veggie here*. They all cost substantially more, guess what's always in stock? Hint I tend to have to buy the more expensive stuff because the other stuff runs out of stock.

- - - Updated - - -

Its less about Demand and more about farmers not wanting it because the big GMO companies control everything.

That is a huge problem here in the US, they keep the farmers poor and their pockets lined.

[Louisa Bannon]

I remain unconvinced that GMO crops are harmless. Pretty sure they thought that about DDT, Trans-fat, and high fructose corn syrup. So seriously, spare me the "science" of unscientific studies funded by groups with profit motives.

Roundup ready, patented, and making you sicker every day!

As it stands, I consume zero grains. Oh, EU and Asia don't want our shit either? So if the consumer isn't there, isn't that just tough titty?

Also Trump continues to be the most backward embarrassment. He wants to lead in agriculture when we could have led in renewable energies instead?

Honestly, it's just too stupid. If you can't see that there is a pointed attempt to decimate the U.S. economy and convert it to third world labor level, then I just don't know.

[Eggroll]

Yeah but is it a big cost difference? We have at my grocery stuff like local eggs, grass fed beef, and Organic *insert veggie here*. They all cost substantially more, guess what's always in stock? Hint I tend to have to buy the more expensive stuff because the other stuff runs out of stock.

Not everything is about what's cheaper, you know... Producing proper food has a cost, unless you want slaves to produce your food.

- - - Updated - - -

I remain unconvinced that GMO crops are harmless. Pretty sure they thought that about DDT, Trans-fat, and high fructose corn syrup. So seriously, spare me the "science" of unscientific studies funded by groups with profit motives.

Roundup ready, patented, and making you sicker every day!

As it stands, I consume zero grains. Oh, EU and Asia don't want our shit either? So if the consumer isn't there, isn't that just tough titty?

Also Trump continues to be the most backward embarrassment. He wants to lead in agriculture when we could have led in renewable energies instead?

Honestly, it's just too stupid. If you can't see that there is a pointed attempt to decimate the U.S. economy and convert it to third world labor level, then I just don't know.

Apparently the US eve has to IMPORT organic foods because US farmers can't meet the demand. The irony...

[Deleted]

But EU consumers don't want GMOs in their food. So what are traders supposed to do with the stuff once they bought it? There's simply no demand for it in the EU. And how is the US entitled to force anything on anyone anyways?

You can't force traders to buy the stuff? What are you even talking about? If there is no demand then European supermarkets won't buy it and there is no problem. The issue is the fact that some countries that have a lot of farmers *cough France cough* are blocking GMO's without scientific reasons to do so in order to protect their own farmers. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy anything, the US just wants european traders to have the OPTION to buy from them, which they currently can't.

[zenkai]

Not everything is about what's cheaper, you know... Producing proper food has a cost, unless you want slaves to produce your food.

.

For most people who are on a budget it's all about cost. Hell that's the main argument fat people make, that eating like shit is cheaper than eating Healthy.

[Eggroll]

You can't force traders to buy the stuff? What are you even talking about? If there is no demand then European supermarkets won't buy it and there is no problem. The issue is the fact that some countries that have a lot of farmers *cough France cough* are blocking GMO's without scientific reasons to do so in order to protect their own farmers. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy anything, the US just wants european traders to have the OPTION to buy from them, which they currently can't.

When you go in a shop, do you want to have to justify yourself for not wanting to buy the blue shirt? And is "science" financed by Monsanto. That speaks for itself.

Also, the article says very clearly that the US will facilitate the WTO to force countries to buy their crap. And isn't the US also protecting their farmers by doing so (or rather their agrichemical corporations)?

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For most people who are on a budget it's all about cost. Hell that's the main argument fat people make, that eating like shit is cheaper than eating Healthy.

Yeah, I was very surprised to learn that it is like this in the US. In Germany and many other EU countries it's actually the other way around. Whole foods are much cheaper than processed foods.

I wonder why that is because the US has such vast farmlands yet can't provide people with affordable healthy foods.

[Deleted]

When you go in a shop, do you want to have to justify yourself for not wanting to buy the blue shirt? And is "science" financed by Monsanto. That speaks for itself.

Also, the article says very clearly that the US will facilitate the WTO to force countries to buy their crap. And isn't the US also protecting their farmers by doing so (or rather their agrichemical corporations)?

What are you even talking about? If I go into a shop that isn't even stocking the thing because there is no demand then I don't have to do shit.

And while the majority of this kind of research is indeed financed by Monsanto & co, so far the scientific consensus seem to be that it is safe, which is good enough for me.

Yes the US is also protecting their own farmers by pushing this, however the difference is that they have reality on their side: there is no scientifically founded health risk associated with buying GMO-based products.

If individual people will still choose not to buy that, that is fine, that is their right, nobody is forcing anybody to buy anything, the US just wants the option for their farmers to sell their products to European supermarkets, which is currently impossible due to EU regulation.

Personally I will still not buy it because I value locally produced food, but I think the principle of science-based laws is more important than my personal feelings on this subject.

[Eggroll]

And while the majority of this kind of research is indeed financed by Monsanto & co, so far the scientific consensus seem to be that it is safe, which is good enough for me.

Yes the US is also protecting their own farmers by pushing this, however the difference is that they have reality on their side: there is no scientifically founded health risk associated with buying GMO-based products.

Personally I will still not buy it because I value locally produced food, but I think the principle of science-based laws is more important than my personal feelings on this subject.

I assume buying GMO's is pretty much risk free. And since it is only Monsanto financed "science" saying it's risk free, that speaks for itself...

[Draco-Onis]

You can't force traders to buy the stuff? What are you even talking about? If there is no demand then European supermarkets won't buy it and there is no problem. The issue is the fact that some countries that have a lot of farmers *cough France cough* are blocking GMO's without scientific reasons to do so in order to protect their own farmers. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy anything, the US just wants european traders to have the OPTION to buy from them, which they currently can't.

Whatever your feeling is it is their internal policy, how would you feel if Europe started forcing goods onto US markets? You don't open trade doors using force all that does is start trade wars and sour international relations. Aside from that who does this benefit? certainly not the American farmers I can tell you that much.

[PACOX]

So the US is going to go bankrupt?

[Skroe]

You can't accept human-driven climate change as a scientific fact and a GMO-opponent at the same time. Either you back evidenced based science or you don't.

Being anti-GMO is only a few belief chromosomes away from being an anti-vaxxer. It's based on a very naive point of view about what constitutes "natural". It completely ignores the fact that human beings have been interfering with natural selection on the basis of what species of animals and crops it has chosen to cultivate (and how to breed/cross breed them), for ten thousand years.

Or do people think this evolved naturally?



Or this?


There is nothing natural about any of these.