Question

Farmers in developing countries claim that the U.S. government, through farm subsidies, is responsible for the artificially low global price of wheat. Because the U.S. government buys whatever wheat American farmers are unable to sell on the open market, American farmers have no incentive to modulate the size of their crops according to the needs of the global market. As a result, American farmers routinely produce more wheat than the global market can absorb and the global price of wheat is kept low. Without these subsidies, the farmers in developing economies claim, American farmers would produce only the amount of wheat that they could sell on the open market and the global price of wheat would rise.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the claims of the farmers in developing countries regarding the price of wheat?
(A) Wheat that is not processed for consumption is often used for certain industrial applications.
(B) Non-governmental buyers of wheat and wheat products are able to predict how much wheat they will need several years in advance.
(C) The U.S. government offers similar subsidies to soybean farmers, though the global price of soybeans is significantly higher than that of wheat.
(D) Other countries, such as Canada and Russia, are likely to produce more wheat if the United States were to reduce its output.
(E) The price of sorghum, a crop for which the U.S. government offers no subsidies, is lower than that of wheat.

Answer 1

Correct Answer:

(D) Other countries, such as Canada and Russia, are likely to produce more wheat if the United States were to reduce its output.

Step-by-step explanation:

The farmers narrative on the reason on why the price of wheat on the global market is low is justified due to their reason. Unfortunately, that logic would greatly be weaken if the farmers in United States reduces their output while farmers in other countries such as Canada and Russia increases their own output due to incentives from their governments.

This action would still lead to the global price of wheat continually being low.