Why Brazil’s soy farmers love Trump and his tariffs on China

In the heart of Brazil’s soy country, there was reason to celebrate: Donald Trump had reignited a trade war with China, and farmers here were ready to reap the rewards. For years, this was a boon for both Brazilian and American farmers. But the first trade war between Trump and China in 2018 sent American exports plummeting. The economic promise and environmental peril of soy’s runaway growth were on vivid display in the Amazonian city of Confresa, a leading producer in Brazil’s soy capital, Mato Grosso state. The trade war, she said, “is really encouraging for us in agriculture.”A Trump supporter, she gave thanks to the U.S. president.