Weekly blurb... ---------------------------------------- "The Biden administration held its first face to face meeting with Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska. The meeting was far from harmonious. The statements from both sides emphasized the stark contrast between positions held by both sides and assure that relations in the future will be fraught with conflicts -- both idealogical and economic. China has replaced Russia as archrival to the United States. They are expanding their sphere of influence around the globe and Chinese leverage promises to be looming as ongoing threat to U.S. interest well into the future. It is unlikely there will be a detente, similar to the one with the Russians under Gorbachov, any time soon. For the ag markets, the past two years has witnessed a boom and boon for exporting our ag products. Beginning with the damage from the African Swine Fever's devastation of the Chinese hog population, U.S. ag products have enjoyed historic demand from China. Soybeans, corn, pork and beef have all benefited from large Chinese purchases. The purchases have at times been so large that some trade analysts have questioned their ability to take delivery of all the product within the contracts time frame. The shortages of pork in China, stimulated new purchases of beef to replace pork in the Chinese diet. An emerging and prosperous middle class has enjoyed the introduction of beef into meat choices and promises a larger share for beef's market share in the future. This newfounded consumer audience could be important for our future exports. Too heavy reliance on Chinese purchases of beef is our achilles heel. China is a command economy with economic direction coming down from the top. If Chinese consumers want beef, China is an expert in exploiting and improving on our techologies to establish their own beef industry. The country has vast natural resources and by mimicing our efficient production methods could quickly become a powerhouse in world beef production. A gradual decline in demand from China could come as a result of their build up of a beef industry or a shock could be delivered due to a trade dispute. Either situation poses a serious threat to our markets and beef prices. A more cautionary approach is advised in which the United States does not become too reliant on Chinese exports. " -------------------------- Moral of the story? America, eet more beef, less chik3n!
More economical than idealogical. Ideological is a smokescreen, ALWAYS, always has been for several thousands of years before and always will for several million more years to come until the end of the day. China doesn't give a s*** of what others think of them or even what they think of themselves because eventually when you haven't had anything to eat for 3 days, your kids are starving and you have to sell your own blood to just get food on the table, you will yield to whatever "ideology" there is and China knows that. Let's go, USA!!! $$$!!! $$$$!!!! Robotics, let's go!!!! And p.s. Poor cows. And out of all of the animal protein that they could've eaten to replace pork, they chose the animal protein from an animal that emits the highest CO2. Poor earth! Have they heard of plant-based meat?? Perhaps this is what USA needs to sell to China instead of creating so much pollution to just feed such a large population of people? China is so good at making fake foods. This is actually what they can put this faking skill to work, to create fake pork with plants and they don't want to do it?
Not likely IMO. They'll buy beef from Brazil, where there's plenty corn & cattle. They can't even grow enough corn to feed their hogs. All cattle corn would need to be imported.
Brazil got a ton of cheap, high quality beef... as does Argentina. Very high quality and very well priced.