{"id":84960,"date":"2025-08-21T00:53:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/84960\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T00:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:53:10","slug":"soybean-farmers-warn-they-cannot-survive-china-trade-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/84960\/","title":{"rendered":"Soybean Farmers Warn they ‘Cannot Survive’ China Trade War"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bloomberg\u2019s Isis Almeida reported Tuesday<\/a> that \u201cUS soybean farmers are near a \u2018trade and financial precipice\u2019 and cannot survive a prolonged trade war with China. That\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer,\u2019 he said,\u201d according to Almeida\u2019s reporting. \u201c\u2018Soybean farmers are under extreme financial stress. Prices continue to drop and at the same time our farmers are paying significantly more for inputs and equipment.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of the American Soybean Association.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn an email statement to Bloomberg News, the White House said the president cares about farmers,\u201d Almeida reported. \u201c\u2018President Trump will continue to open markets and level the playing field for American farmers to ensure they can sell as many made-in-America products as possible,\u2019 White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly wrote.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agri-Pulse\u2019s Philip Brasher reported<\/a> that Ragland\u2019s \u201cletter was accompanied by an 11-page white paper laying out the export situation facing soybean growers. \u2026The letter and white paper note that the Chinese duty on U.S. soybeans is 20% higher than the tariff on South American soybeans, keeping the U.S. crop \u2018prohibitively expensive.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChina has not purchased any U.S. soybeans for the months ahead as we quickly approach harvest. The further into the autumn we get without reaching an agreement with China on soybeans, the worse the impacts will be on U.S. soybean farmers,\u2019 the letter says,\u201d according to Brasher\u2019s reporting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe white paper notes that at this time of the year China has normally ordered about 14% of its expected purchases of U.S. soybeans. Going into the 2022 harvest, China had ordered 27% of its purchases,\u201d Brasher reported. \u201c\u2018China imported record volumes of Brazilian soybeans between April and July 2025, growing domestic stockpiles of soymeal to the point at which Chinese soybean processors are facing negative margins,\u2019 the white paper says. \u2018In early August 2025, traders announced a first-time export sale of Argentine soymeal to China to be delivered this fall to reassure Chinese feed mill buyers anxious about hog feed availability amid the ongoing trade dispute.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, export sales of this fall\u2019s (U.S.) soybean crop are down 81% from the five-year average,\u201d Brasher reported.<\/p>\n

Today, ASA President Caleb Ragland sent a letter to President Trump urging swift action to resolve the U.S.\u2013China #trade<\/a> dispute. Soybean #farmers<\/a> cannot weather another prolonged trade war. https:\/\/t.co\/DGYBaoyN7w<\/a> #Soybeans<\/a> #Tariffs<\/a> #AgPolicy<\/a> @WhiteHouse<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3APnczjZk0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 American Soybean Association (@ASA_Soybeans) August 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Reuters Leah Douglas reported<\/a> that \u201cChina\u2019s turn to Brazilian soybeans could cost U.S. farmers billions. China bought 54% of U.S. soybean exports in the 2023-2024 marketing year, worth $13.2 billion, according to the ASA. Soybean prices jumped after an August 11 post from Trump on Truth Social urging China to quadruple its soybean purchases. However, farmers said they doubted such a large increase was possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lack of Chinese Demand to Slow Grain Movement in U.S.<\/p>\n

Brownfield\u2019s Carah Hart reported<\/a> that \u201ca market analyst says a lack of demand of U.S. soybeans from China is going to slow down grain movement in the Northern Plains this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRandy Martinson is with Martinson Ag Risk Management, based in Fargo.\u00a0He tells Brownfield some grain elevators in North Dakota are telling farmers they won\u2019t be able to deliver new crop soybeans at harvest,\u201d Hart reported. \u201c\u2018There\u2019s going to be more than half the (soybean) crop that will have to go through the elevator system somehow. Either wait for crush plants to use them or wait until there\u2019s export business.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMartinson says the farmers that have on-farm storage will delay corn harvest or use bags to store the corn, prioritizing on-farm bin space for soybeans,\u201d Hart reported. \u201cMartinson says this will also affect grain movement in Minnesota and South Dakota.\u201d<\/p>\n