The historical criticism is that America’s economic interests have taken a backseat to national security objectives, and despite his rhetoric demanding fairer trade, Trump looks to be making the same calculation as his predecessors. Foreign = Trade Trouble China has started importing U.S. beef, albeit in small amounts and under onerous requirements. Now there is hope that poultry will soon flow, and a rice trade protocol is near completion. However, President Trump has now sanctioned a Chinese state bank that was undermining U.N. sanctions against North Korea, and he signed off on weapons sales to Taiwan – though not on any real offensive firepower. Still, his focus on aggressive foreign policy heightens the risk of problems with trade. T...

TAGS – Livestock, Biofuels, Energy, Softs, Asia, North America