Editorials: Starving food aid

We grow wistful for the days of Republican Senate Leader Bob Dole of Kansas working with Democratic Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota to promote school nutrition and international feeding programs like Food for Peace. We could hear our better angels and the cries of the starving.

Now, the US government has halted food aid through several programs while the Trump Administration reviews spending. This despite a waiver issued by the State Department supposedly exempting food aid from an ordered spending freeze.

“Down the road it could definitely lead to more vulnerable populations not being able to access food,” Virginia Houston, director of government affairs for the American Soybean Association, told Reuters. “It also hurts our supply chain.”

Thousands of tons of grain and oilseeds are held up. Elon Musk says that the US Agency For International Development will be eliminated. It administers the Food for Peace program, which fed 58 million people last year. The wheat growers association says this “pause” in funding will hurt its international trade promotion efforts. Foreign aid programs buy up to 1 million tons of wheat per year.

These programs cost less than the bombs we send to be dropped on Gaza or Yemen. Far less. Food promotes peace. Bombs lead to everlasting hatred.

We have gone astray.

Bob Dole was a conservative from Russell, Kan. He had a gimp arm from combat in World War II. He knew. These people in charge know nothing as they put a good and hard screwing on poor people worldwide and farmers right here in Iowa.

Where are our senators, Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, as zealots try to wipe out programs that support agriculture and health? Not to be heard. People don’t want to talk about it. There was a time when feeding the hungry was something we could support. Republicans in the House are committed to paring back nutrition programs in the next farm bill, if they can ever get their act together and pass one.

It’s a shame what’s become of us. We’ve lost our good sense. We grow too much corn and pork, and there are starving people all around. These people don’t think straight.

Soy exempt so far

Interesting that China did not ratchet up tariffs on soy or pork in retaliation for President Trump’s 10% tariffs on all imports from China. Farm equipment is targeted for tariffs by China but not farm goods. We do not know what the Chinese are thinking, but they  appear to be staying calm as they prepare for some sort of negotiation with Trump.

It worked for Mexico and Canada, for now. Their respective presidents humored Trump and got tariffs paused for 30 days. Trump maintains the tariffs on Chinese goods and services.

The Chinese recall the trade war in 2018 that targeted soybeans. The US lost a ton of money, and China hastened its investments in South America soybean production. Brazil now exports 70% of its soybean crop to China. Sales by US producers have been lackluster of late. China’s primary national goal is food self-sufficiency, and soy is at the foundation of the diet. Food is something we can talk about. We cannot discuss human rights if we cannot speak with each other.

We should take care to promote food trade and not restrict it. China appears to be maintaining a clear head about this.

Grocery prices

President Trump talked a lot about groceries and inflation. Eggs are frightfully expensive from the corporate hens. Dairy from the conglomerates isn’t getting any cheaper. Your winter greens could get way more expensive if you keep on messing with Mexicans.

Trump said he would build a wall and make the Mexicans pay for it. Right.

Trump says he will deport all those Mexicans. Right.

Trump says he will bring your grocery bill down. You bet.

Gasoline will get a lot cheaper, too. Sure. And after the prices rise because of all the trade war threats, they will come back down. Go ahead and bank on it.

All this winning could get expensive.