"It could break us": Valley farmer says Chinese tariffs have crushed the alfalfa export market
'It could break us': Valley farmer says Chinese tariffs have crushed the alfalfa export market
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28499504
Ehh.. I have little sympathy for these farmers who switched from growing food crops (thus contributing to the rise in food prices) to generally very water-intensive cash crops for export and kept getting subsidies meant to ensure a ready supply of food for the populace. This situation was plenty fucked long before Trump put his dick in it, it should not be surprising that he'd make it worse.
Schulz says he voted for President Donald Trump and believes in the goals of his tariff plan, to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and expand exporter access to foreign markets.
That's a shame. ANYWAY . . .
Super water users now angry their right wing fuckers no longer care specifically about them
Yeah I'm honestly counting this as an absolute win for the planet.
How nice, alfalfa should not be farmed especially at this scale
Alfalfa is a great crop. It has deep roots which store carbon in the soil, it is drought tolerant, it's high yielding and it's nitrogen fixating meaning it improves the soil quality and does not require nitrogen fertilizer which normally is a huge carbon footprint. Overall fantastic crop if you need fodder for ruminant animals. The big problem is farming it on an absurd scale in the middle of the damn desert. Alfalfa does not require irrigation in regions with ample rainfall.
How can alfalfa, which is known to be among of the most water-intensive crops be drought-resistant?
Yeah, as far as I’m concerned, exporting alfalfa is just exporting water
And not at all in the middle of the Sonoran desert, in and around a city of 5 million people, where water is a limited resource.
Phoenix has plenty of water to suit the population if it’s used wisely. Alfalfa is not a wise use of water.
“In the long run…” so he's still onboard. Let him ride the failure train to financial ruin. Maybe then he'll learn.
I don't think I care if he learns
Same here as well https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/42564197
Schulz says he voted for President Donald Trump and believes in the goals of his tariff plan, to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and expand exporter access to foreign markets.
“In the long run I think it will be a good thing," He said.
Dude's face has been eaten and he's still supporting the leopards.
he'll learn
Think I found your problem right there
Make sure to keep voting for the GOP farmer bob.
He will, because HitlerPig will bail him out.
I honestly don't think they will get help this time. JD Vance is invested in AcreTrader and what's a better way to buy thousand's of acres for pennies on the dollar than to bankrupt farmers? And at the end of the day, I really don't think they deserve a bailout.
That's the point. Trump wants you hopeless so you'll sell your land to his billionaire buddies.
Oh no! Not the Trump supporting farmers!
Have the day you voted for.
Good. Alfalfa is right up there with almonds as one of the most wasteful crops in existence.
If I recall, moat of it went to Saudi Arabia?
Not quite, well at least not for the US as a whole, but could be different for California/Arizona specifically if anyone has the numbers?
As for US, China exports were still about the same as next two countries combined, so by far the largest market. Good riddance anyway. Source: https://hayandforage.com/article-5229-Hay-exports-flatlined-in-2024.html
Everything you never wanted to know. The price was too good. https://www.azfb.org/Article/Understanding-the-Economics-of-Arizona-Alfalfa
Why can’t China grow alfalfa?
Because this time, the Con in charge will surely help you out. Surely this time. Surely.
Put on your clown noses, you dipshits. You will keep voting for them despite their obvious track record for being BAD FOR THE FUCKING ECONOMY.
Good thing Trump saved you from all the awful foreigners dragging America down tho right?
Trump did that the first time. How could you not think, after him campaigning on tariffs, that he wouldn't do it again? This is just your own fault for voting for him...again.
You know how they overproduced purple hearts in anticipation of an invasion of mainland Japan that never happened? Imagine if that happened and yet they still fell short on numbers, except instead of casualties of war it's idiots getting fucked by Trump and instead of purple hearts it's "fell for it again" awards. That's where we're at.
Crushed alfalfa anyone? Anyone?
Unintended consequence of sl helping the environment and water table while leopards eat some faces.
No aid to those MAGAts without severe concessions on their part!
They should concede to use less oxygen from now on, at least 99% less.
Truly Make America Great Again.
Oh noes. Oh well! ¯(ツ)_/¯ Moving on. Something about leopards and faces.
Yeah everyone in the thread is 'fuck them drumpf voters' but your food prices are going to be ridiculous next month so keep memeing
Wouldn't this be a good thing for the fresh water supply in the US if the US stopped exporting alfalfa.
Sure, I didn't read this article, so I'm just going off all the previous years of articles about how much fresh water this is using. And I've never researched the downstream effects of cattle in the middle east becoming more expensive.
Answer:
It's a benefit to essentially everyone if alfalfa farming becomes less profitable. The entire chain from water to cow meat is unjust, cruel, and otherwise fucking terrible.
Good answer. (Not sarcasm)
Just wanted to say I've had you marked with notes before as someone really good with your research, but each time I see your longer answers I make sure to take the time to read it. Really appreciate the knowledge transfer on a lot of your posts, please don't stop!
It would would have been cool if you'd left out the vegan propaganda
Bad answer (how do you know someone is a vegan?)
RFK jr has plans to fix the fresh water supply situation.
I'm sure his fix is either "a bit of saltwater is okay" or "we need electrolytes, it's what plants crave" with a smattering of "water? Like from the toilet?"