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.
Politics
Gov’t Shutdown Ends, Farm Bill Programs Extended
President Donald Trump late Wednesday signed into law a measure to end the longest-ever government shutdown after 43 days, fully fund USDA and FDA for fiscal 2026, and end a bitter legal battle over this month’s SNAP benefits.
China Buys More Brazil Soybeans as US Purchases Stall
China’s purchases of American soybeans appear to have stalled, less than two weeks after the US touted a wide-ranging trade truce that signaled thawing relations between the world’s two biggest economies. At the same time, China’s state trader COFCO’s oilseed unit said on Monday it has signed agreements to purchase Brazilian soybeans, soybean oil, palm oil and other agricultural products, with a total volume of nearly 20 million tons worth over $10 billion.
Farm Bill Extension Included in Senate Bill to End Shutdown
A new stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government includes a one-year extension of farm bill programs that were left out of a budget reconciliation bill earlier in the year. The continuing resolution would keep the government funded through Jan. 30.
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.
Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Trump Tariffs
President Trump’s global tariffs appeared to be on shaky ground after Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism during a hearing on Wednesday about his authority to impose sweeping measures on countries around the world.
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.
SNAP Benefits Remain Set to Lapse on Nov. 1
Nearly 42 million people are set to lose food aid due to the second-longest U.S. government shutdown, as Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to blame each other for a weeks-long legislative stalemate. Neither party was showing signs of changing its position days before funding for SNAP is set to lapse beginning on Saturday.
China to Buy 12 Million Tons of US Soybeans This Year, Bessent Says
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China has agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans this year. For the next three years, the Asian nation has agreed to buy a minimum of 25 million tons annually, Bessent said on Fox Business.
China Purchases First US Soybeans of the Season
China’s state-owned COFCO bought three U.S. soybean cargoes, two trade sources said, the country’s first purchases from this year’s U.S. harvest, shortly before a summit of leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
No SNAP Benefits to be Issued Nov. 1, USDA Says
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will not go out on Nov. 1, raising the stakes for families nationwide as the government shutdown drags on.
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.
Half of States to Cut Off SNAP Benefits in November
Millions of low-income Americans will lose access to food aid on Nov. 1, when half of states plan to cut off benefits due to the government shutdown. Twenty-five states told POLITICO that they are issuing notices informing participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that they won’t receive checks next month.
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.
China Imports No US Soy in September, First Time Since 2018
China imported no soybeans from the U.S. in September, the first time since November 2018 that shipments fell to zero, while South American shipments surged from a year earlier, as buyers shunned American cargoes during the ongoing trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
Immigration Crackdown Hurting Ag, Labor Dept. Concedes
The Trump administration said that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and risking higher food prices for Americans by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply. The Labor Department made this case in paperwork documenting a new rule that took effect Oct. 2 that effectively lowers pay for seasonal migrants working in agriculture under the H-2A visa program.
Trump Threatens to End Used Cooking Oil Trade with China
US President Donald Trump said he might stop trade in cooking oil with China, injecting fresh tensions into the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Trump on Tuesday cast the potential move as retaliation against Beijing for its refusal to buy American soybeans.
Gov’t Shutdown Hits Crucial Tools for Farmers, Commodity Traders
The government shutdown is creating financial heartburn for farmers across the country, stalling the delivery of farm loans, the release of critical market reports and the Trump administration’s plans for cash bailouts.
Trump Promises New 100% Tariff on China by November
President Donald Trump on Friday said he will impose a new 100% tariff on imports from China starting Nov. 1 following Beijing’s decision to tighten exports of critical minerals. The fresh flare-up of U.S.-China tensions leaves a planned meeting between the two countries’ leaders at the end of the month in jeopardy.
Farmer Aid Reportedly Delayed by Gov’t Shutdown
The Trump administration has pushed back its plans to roll out economic aid for farmers this week due to the government shutdown, according to four people familiar with the talks. Still, some of the people familiar expect that Trump could go rogue and announce next steps on bailouts this week.