We can always just not trade with China. North Koreans will need Soybeans once they get off the nuke drug. China is not the only place in town. At some point trade deals will actually start happening in my opinion. If that is the case the U.S may find that there are other markets out there and that would weaken China’s hand too. If either the E.U or Canada or Mexico decides to grab up to a fair trade deal with the U.S the remaining countries are going to get a raw deal. The same is true if China grabs it first. That will suck for Canada etc. I think the smart play is to be first to get a deal.
You can’t be serious when you suggest North Korea as a substitute for the Chinese market...the Chinese market is > 1B consumers, while the small number of North Koreans are eating grass. They have no foreign currency.
Farmers don’t have to grow soybeans either. One of the most amazing things about farming is.....what ever you put into the ground, add water and fertilizer and you get something, usually something people or animals want to eat.
The farmers will survive and they know PT won’t let them drown. He is actually doing this for them.