A Euclidian result of American trade disputes

by | Jun 26, 2018 | 5 Ag Stories, News

My high school geometry teacher is not going to believe this one. I am about to quote Euclid?s first common notion and apply it to something which has no geometrical implications. Quite frankly, she will probably just be impressed I remembered anything from class. So, Mrs. Hoffmann, (no relation) this one?s for you. ?Two things that are equal to the same thing, must be equal to each other.?

Audio: World of Agriculture

We have been talking about trade for months now. It feels like an old hat. I swear I can hear the terms in my sleep: ?Steel, aluminum, pork, soybeans, China, European Union, Canada, Mexico, NAFTA and tariffs.?

Today, I found a tidbit of information and it made me immediately think of Euclid?s first common notion quoted above. China has been having trade uncertainty with the United States. The European Union is having trade uncertainty with the United States. It should almost go without saying, they are on equal ground. Putting it in Euclidian terms, they are equal to each other as it relates to trade.

So, it should come as no surprise, the two countries have decided to strengthen their trade with each other. On Monday, China made a commitment to buy more agricultural goods from the European Union. Also, there is news China is looking at making purchases of aircraft from Airbus to avoid dealing with tariffs on American-made Boeing products.

Will this information send a signal to the administration that our trading partners have no problem working with each other? We learned this lesson during the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It did not fall apart when we left the table. In fact, the other parties just shrugged and moved on.

We may be the largest economy in the world, but other countries are still going out and buying what they need for a price they can afford. Farmer?s livelihoods are hanging in the balance of these trade disputes, and they cannot afford this kind of uncertainty. President Trump says he will help farmers, but to quote Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, ?Farmers don?t want help. They want trade.?

What do you know? I remembered something from Geometry class!