Letter to the Editor: Tariffs, turf, temptation

To the Editor:

The current U.S. government recently placed tariffs on some Chinese imports into this country. China is the largest market for our agricultural raw materials, with a tax upon entry. The Chinese have retaliated by placing an additional 25-percent tariff on selected imports from the U.S. Just recently, the Trump administration announced the prospect of government subsidies to be paid for farmers injured by Chinese tariffs. Congress has a jaundiced eye toward more unnecessary deficit spending, so these promises are speculation.

To continue to be competitive with Russian, Australian...