U.S.-China Talks Break Down; Grain Exports Safe, Analysts Say

Last week’s talks between Chinese and U.S. officials in Alaska didn’t go well, according to many accounts that indicate the meeting ended with deep tensions between leaders of the world’s two largest economies. Though the talks signal major needs for common ground between the two nations on issues like national security and technology, analysts say the ag sector is safe for now. China’s drawn down domestic grain stocks and regardless of its Phase One trade deal obligations for U.S. ag purchases, American corn remains the best deal on the global market, and those purchases — like the sale of 4 million metric tons of U.S. corn to China last week — are likely to continue barring “something pretty severe” to disrupt the sales pace. See more from last week’s talks.