China has secured at least 7 million tons of US soybeans after heavy buying in the past two weeks, passing the halfway mark toward meeting its 12-million ton purchase agreement with the Trump administration, according to people familiar with the deals.
Agricultural Economy
JBS Closing Beef Plant in California
JBS will permanently close a facility outside Los Angeles that prepares beef for sale at U.S. grocery stores, the world’s largest meat company said on Friday, as tight cattle supplies have raised costs for meatpackers. JBS will shut its Swift Beef Company facility in Riverside, California, on February 2, eliminating 374 jobs.
$12 Billion Farm Aid Package Not Enough, Farm Leaders Say
U.S. farmers facing steep losses this year welcomed President Donald Trump’s $12 billion aid package announced on Monday, but said they would need more than that to fully offset low crop prices and lost export opportunities from his trade war.
Trump to Loosen Environmental Rules on Ag Equipment to Cut Costs
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that farming equipment has gotten too expensive and his administration would help tractor companies by removing some environmental rules that affect them.
$11 Billion in Bridge Farm Aid to be Issued by February
President Donald Trump and senior officials said Monday that the administration will provide $12 billion in financial support for farmers, with the first $11 billion going to row crop producers before the end of February 2026.
Farmer Aid Announcement Coming Next Week, Rollins Says
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Tuesday that the Trump administration will announce a ‘bridge payment’ for farmers next week that is designed to provide short-term relief while longer trade and aid packages are finalized.
Deere’s 2026 Outlook Suggests No Farm Economy Uptick
Deere & Co.’s weak forecast for the year ahead reinforces the difficulty in predicting a recovery in the US farm economy as uncertainty continues to swirl over the impact of tariffs and trade deals. Deere said net income in the 2026 fiscal year will be between $4 billion and $4.75 billion. That would be a drop from the $5.027 billion reported for the year just ended.
Farmer Aid Expected Within Weeks, Ag Secretary Says
The Trump administration expects to announce an aid package for U.S. farmers within two weeks and a deal on Chinese soybean purchases, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday, without providing further details.
US Soybeans Set for First Shipment to China Since May
Two cargo vessels were headed for grain port terminals near New Orleans on Monday to load with the first U.S. soybean shipments to China since May, according to a shipping schedule seen by Reuters. A third vessel was en route to a Texas Gulf Coast grain terminal to be loaded with China-bound U.S. sorghum in the coming days.
Tyson Closing Major Beef Processing Plant in Nebraska
Tyson Foods, America’s largest meat supplier, is planning to close one of its largest beef-processing plants in Nebraska at a time when a cattle shortage in the U.S. squeezes meatpacking companies. The Lexington, Neb., plant employs roughly 3,000 people and can slaughter almost 5,000 cattle a day, according to industry estimates.
Only Half of US Farmers to Be Profitable in 2025, Ag Lenders Say
Agricultural lenders surveyed in the new 2025 ABA/Farmer Mac Agricultural Lender Survey expect only 52% of U.S. farm borrowers will be profitable this year, signaling a sharp decline from recent years. It’s also a sign producers across major crop regions are continuing to navigate through a period of tighter margins and severe financial stress.
Farmer Tariff Aid Shrinking After Trade Deals?
The Deputy Secretary of Agriculture says trade deal negotiations during the government shutdown could impact the possibility of farmer assistance this year. During a call with reporters on Monday, Stephen Vaden said dynamics have changed since the end of September.
USDA Data Dump Shows Minimal Soybean Sales to China
New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
DOJ, USDA Investigating Meatpackers over Beef Prices
President Donald Trump said (last) Friday that he asked the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into meatpacking companies, which he accused of illegally manipulating beef prices at the expense of beef farmers and consumers.
China Buys US Wheat & Sorghum, Ends Some Soybean Import Suspensions
China has begun modest purchases of U.S. farm products after the leaders of both countries met last week, but traders still await significant soybean buys after the White House said Beijing pledged to buy 12 million tons by year-end.
Trump Admin Still Planning Billions in Farmer Trade Aid
The Trump administration plans to roll out an initial payment of up to $12 billion for farmers hurt by the president’s tariff policies once the government shutdown ends, according to three people familiar with the matter. The finalized amount will come on top of President Donald Trump’s recently announced truce with China.
China to Make ‘Substantial’ US Soybean Purchases, Bessent Says
China will make ‘substantial’ purchases of US soybeans, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday after talks with Chinese counterparts, in a sign that the relations are thawing ahead of a possible leaders’ meeting.
Trump, Cattle Ranchers Beefing over Planned Quadrupling of Argentine Imports
President Donald Trump attacked US cattle ranchers over their criticism of his plan to slash record beef prices by importing significantly more tariff-free meat from Argentina, deepening a quarrel with a group of reliable supporters and raising concerns among ranch-state Republican lawmakers.
USDA Resuming FSA Operations, Commodity Program Payments
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said President Donald Trump’s administration will resume distributing $3 billion in aid from the Farm Service Agency that had been halted as a result of the three-week-long government shutdown. Rollins also said that agriculture risk coverage and price loss coverage payments and other programs would resume operating.
Trump Suggests U.S. Will Buy Argentina Beef to Lower Prices
President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States could purchase Argentinian beef in an attempt to bring down prices for American consumers. ‘We would buy some beef from Argentina,’ he told reporters aboard Air Force One during a flight from Florida to Washington. ‘If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.’