California Today: Caught in the Cross Hairs, Farmers Brace for a Trade War

Apr 04, 2018 · 36 comments
Gene Grossman (Venice, California)
To the more than 75 percent of rural voters in the Farm Belt cast your ballots for Trump in the Presidential election: Welcome to the "You've been had" club for believing his campaign promises about how good he'll be for you guys. @GeneGrossman
Harley (Los Angeles, CA)
Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy's districts are in and around the Central Valley. Their constituents are getting what they voted for and they deserve it.
David Underwood (Citrus Heights)
Most San Joaquin Valley farmers voted GOP, most ranchers and farmers north of Sacramento County voted GP{, the far north of the state is a red as Alabama, as are the voters from Bakersfield to Modesto. Most of the wine makers in the state are liberal, many of them have benefited from the research at UC Davis. The worlds biggest almond grower is Paramount Farms owned by the Resnick who contribute to liberal causes, but play conservative politics. Most of the states walnut farmers are from the northern Sacramento Valley, very red area. Maybe this will help us get rid of Nunez, McCarthy, and McClintock.
JB (Mo)
It takes lots of planning to create a coincidence. A trade war combined with a crackdown on immigration with Cali caught in the middle...hmmm. Probably shouldn't blame Trump, he's not that smart
Javaforce (California)
Apparently Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions, Pruitt and other Trump loyalists have an inexplicable grudge against California so who knows what they will do. Eventually they will be gone but I’m deeply concerned about the damage they will do until then.
Joeff (NoCal)
Rutherford, shown in photo, is in the Napa Valley. Premier California grapes come from more coastal areas which generally vote Democrat. I wonder how much of the exports to China come from these, as opposed to more inland, and Republican, areas.
Cjosh (San Francisco)
More wine for us and those wonderful pistachios too!! Whats not to like??
Cruzio (California )
Besides the hit farmers will take on the tariff war started by DT, they will also be taking a hit on profits due to lack of workers. Does DT even know who really is the backbone of the farm industry? Migrant workers. Look what happened in Georgia....the crops rotted in the fields. Good luck farmers. Be sure to vote Democrats in 2018.
Louise (USA)
So all you CA farmers voted for Trump, now what?
Jj (San Francisco)
Here’s hoping Cali farmers will see T cares not a drivel about them when he kicked the sleeping dog that China represents. The ripples in the water are deep infinite and like a tsunami. Farmers already have a tough time with -gulp- climate change, that disastrous situation that can’t be mentioned. Add the Devin Nunezes and Kevin McCarthys (who knows who will replace Rep. Darryl Issa?) of SoCal and we continue to circle the drain of T’s cesspool of an administration. I’ll take a swamp anytime.
dolly patterson (Silicon Valley)
Wonder if Gov. Jerry Brown can arrange California's own trading arrangement w China the way he has handle Global Warming, Minimizing pollution from cars, immigration, none of which correlate w Federal Policy on these issues.
Charles (San Francisco)
We shouldn't be growing all of those almonds in California anyway, which, along with alfalfa, use an astounding amount of water.
TonyLederer (Sacramento )
I wonder who the California Farm Bureau Federation supported in the last election. These policies definitely will negatively affect most of California's 'red' regions economies.
Bud 1 (Los Angeles)
Why the handwringing about lost farm jobs? These editors couldn't care less when it was manufacturing workers who were going bankrupt.
Eileen (Encinitas)
Its simple: eat more locally grown almonds and pistachios and drink more California wines. What is so hard about that?
Chris Commons (San Carlos CA)
Can we ask the Chinese to add alfalfa to the list? California is a huge exporter of alfalfa to China, which uses an immense amount of our limited precious water. During our droughts, alfalfa farmers have a disproportionate (and unfair, due to our archaic water laws) access to water. It's exported to feed Chinese cattle for the beef industry. That industry is a significant contributor to climate change. And beef isn't all that healthy for anyone. Reducing our production of alfalfa is a win/win for everyone except the alfalfa farmers.
GariRae (Sacramento)
Yup, Yup. People dont know about the alfalfa exports. Thanks for spreading the word.
Reinhold Strnat (Indianapolis, IN)
Vote for Trump, reap what you sow.
Lim (Philly)
I couldn't have said it any better.
Becky SF (Redwood City Ca)
Sacramento area may not want to reelect Nunes and Bakersfield may not want to reelect McCarthy. Both have enabled Trump against the interest of California. Vote and vote intelligently. Your vote has also take down the tech stocks which is in the 401ks of most of Silicon Valley workers that amounts to our pensions.
Robert Stacy (Tokyo)
It’s a proxy war with Blue states - California, rich in tech, rich in agriculture will pay the price for not kissing the ring of the Dear Leader. Disgusting.
GariRae (Sacramento)
Excuse me,.but California farmers were some of trumps most lucrative donors. eg, Devin Nunes
Jj (San Francisco)
Clearly written by an outoftowner. Farmers in CA all voted Trump and are reaping the consequences. Unfortunately Trump has no idea of what happens when he kicked the sleeping dog that is China.
Robert Stacy (Tokyo)
No, I am Sacramento native and Blue Diamond born and bred. People frequently vote not in their self interest, unfortunately. The farmers who voted for Trump, like everyone else who gets into any deal with him, soon learn that loyalty is a one way street and any deal he makes with them is worthless. And what I meant by not kissing the ring is not the farmers, it's Gerry Brown, and CA's litigation against everything this administration stands for. As for me today, I trade heavily with China, and am about to see 20% of my income wiped out due to Trump's 1950's view of the world. I don't see any winners in the MAGA narrative. At least not for regular people like myself.
Jimd (Ventura CA)
mixed emotions on this. The central valley farmers grow these crops, send a substantial amount of crop overseas at a handy profit. They also use an outsized amount of precious water to grow all of these water intensive crops, leaving the rest of the central valley and the 20 million people in southern California wondering when drinking water might be extinct. It already is the case in many small central California communities. One can hope these profiteers will scale back their mega production and actually share the water.
PeterC (BearTerritory)
Both pistachio and almond prices and yields have been rising for decades as farmers switch from less profitable crops and convert acreage to tree nuts. A correction is overdue.
The Poet McTeagle (California)
Ah, if it harms California, Trump will be happy.
Iamcynic1 (Ca.)
Add to this the growing shortage of farm workers due to Trump's immigration policies and you have big trouble for farmers. Produce prices will probably soar in the future, hitting Americans hard and more than wiping out the meager tax benefit to the average citizen from his tax "reform." This guy is getting crazier by the day.He and his stooge,Nunes, have to go.
Nancy (Canada)
It hasn’t been a good year for farmers: fires, lack of migrant workers who do the jobs, and now this. I’m wonder if any of them are reconsidering their support of DJT? And will their businesses survive for it to matter at this point?
chambolle (Bainbridge Island)
Trump will loudly proclaim that the blame rests with Obama and Crooked Hillary; toss in a few barbs about the 'Schumer shutdown,' some cheap shots at Nancy Pelosi and 'Pocahontas,' holler 'fake news' a few times, and presto! Those Trump voters will remain in his faithful flock.
JRoebuck (Michigan)
You get what you voted for. Hope you are satisfied. What you save on taxes you may be paying in profit and savings.
Eero (East End)
As the effects of the tariffs are felt maybe the farmers will realize that the only answer is to vote for Democrats, since the Republicans always do Trump's bidding. If this results in Kevin McCarthy and Devin Nunes losing their elections it would be a great result. And maybe the State will be able to conserve all the water used for these crops, most of it wasted in poor conservation practices.
Brad Walsh (Denver, CO)
I’ll be happy to step up my consumption of pistachios and wine in solidarity!
Bruce D (Mongolia)
Boo hoo. I cry for you. Sadly, although many farmers might NOT have voted for Trump, you live in districts that voted R and now reap the whirlwind. I don't feel a lot of pity - you reap what you sow.
Norwichman (Del Mar, CA)
I feel for our California agriculture in a trade war but we need to realize it will bring happiness to the White House. The one thing we can do is dump the remaining Republican Congressmen. Nunez and McCarthy come to mind.
Me (NC)
Governor Jerry Brown continues to lead the Resistance. Without adequate data on discrimination and sexual misconduct, we cannot see the scope of the problem. I hope there will be a fully funded agency to hable complaints and come up with a strategy to vet them.