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.
Trade
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.
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.’
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.
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 Sentiment Holds Steady as Tariff Support Drops
US farmers are concerned about current economic conditions but are optimistic about the long-term outlook of the agricultural economy, according to survey results released on Oct. 7 by Purdue University and the CME Group.
Tariff Revenue to Fund Farmer Bailout, Trump Says
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will use tariff revenue to offer cash bailouts for farmers who are struggling with trade uncertainty and other economic headwinds.
Soybean Producers Frustrated Over US Support for Argentina
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that the U.S. will offer financial support to Argentina to prop up its ailing economy, prompting frustration from soybean producers, for whom Argentina is a key competitor.
China’s Soybean Buyers Turn to Argentina, Continue Shunning US
Chinese buyers booked at least 10 cargoes of Argentine soybeans after Buenos Aires on Monday scrapped grain export taxes, three traders said on Tuesday, dealing another setback to U.S. farmers already shut out of their top market and hit by low prices.
Ag Trade Deficit Hit Another Record High in July
The US agricultural trade deficit widened further in July, with agricultural exports lagging imports by $4.97 billion in July, a gap 9% wider than a year earlier and the largest on record for the month. That pushed the sector’s deficit to an unprecedented $33.6 billion for the first seven months of the year.
U.S. Tariffs Reshaping Global Ag Trade Flows
The imposition of U.S. tariffs and new U.S. trade deals with countries across the globe are expected to reshape global agricultural trade flows — on products ranging from beef to grains to oilseeds — in the coming months.
USDA Projects Ag Trade Deficit Will Fall to $41.5 Billion in 2026
USDA’s quarterly trade outlook lowered the projected trade deficit for fiscal 2025 to $47 billion from the $49.5 billion estimated in June. The deficit is projected to drop to $41.5 billion for fiscal 2026, which starts Oct. 1, because U.S. ag imports are expected to fall even more than exports.
China Remains Absent from US Soybean Market
Just days before the start of the US export season for soybeans, the world’s top importer China doesn’t appear to have bought a single American cargo for the coming year. That causing farmers in the Northern Plains to face cash soybean prices below $9, and with China absent from the soybean export market, $8 soybeans could continue to be a reality this harvest.
Farmers Feel Fertilizer Price Squeeze as Tariffs Hit Ag Sector
Farm groups are warning that President Donald Trump’s tariff war is worsening already high fertilizer prices, making it harder for farmers to afford planting their usual amounts of corn, wheat and soybeans.
Soybean Farmers Warn they ‘Cannot Survive’ China Trade War
US soybean farmers are near a ‘trade and financial precipice’ and cannot survive a prolonged trade war with China. That’s the warning from Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association. In a letter to President Donald Trump dated Tuesday, he urged the administration to reach a deal with China to remove duties and, if possible, include significant soybean purchases.
Ag Trade Deficit Hits Record High In First Half of 2025
The US agricultural trade deficit hit a record high in the first half of 2025, with the value of agricultural exports trailing that of imports by $4.1 billion in June — a gap 14% wider than a year earlier — pushing the sector’s deficit to a staggering $28.6 billion for the first six months of the year.
Trade Tensions, Biofuel Uncertainty Hit Agribusiness Profits
Ongoing trade tensions and uncertainty about U.S. biofuel policy contributed to second quarter profits hitting multi-year lows for a number of crop trading companies — including Archer-Daniels-Midland and Bunge Global SA — while ag equipment manufacturers warned those trade tensions will begin increasing equipment prices in the second half of the year.
New-Crop US Soybean Export Sales at 20-Year Low
As of July 24, US soybean exporters had sold just over 3 million metric tons of soybeans for export in 2025/26, which begins September 1. That volume is a 20-year low for the date and is down 12% from last year.
Mexico Tariffs Delayed, Higher Duties Set on Brazil & Canada
President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on exports from dozens of trading partners, including Canada (35%), Brazil (50%), India and Taiwan, ahead of a Friday trade deal deadline, pressing ahead with plans to reorder the global economy.
China Issues New Threats to Block Panama Canal Ports Deal
China’s government is threatening to block a deal that would transfer ownership of dozens of seaports — including two ports at the Panama Canal — to Western investors if Cosco, China’s largest shipping company, doesn’t get a stake.