This week, President Donald Trump said soybeans would be the biggest issue in his proposed tête-à-tête with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Now, that this discussion is poised to happen later this month. The meeting comes amid escalating US-China trade tensions. These growing tensions have forced Beijing to stop buying U.S. soybeans, the board’s lifeblood, the very foundation of American farmers’ livelihoods.
In recent months, the growing hostility in the trade relationship between the United States and China has begun to be felt by our ag export community. Now, China has Argentina firmly in its crosshairs. As part of the agreement, the country has committed to buy up to $900 million of Argentine soybeans, as well as corn and vegetable oil. This move has raised concerns among U.S. farmers, who rely heavily on soybean exports to China, one of their largest international markets.
Trump’s American farmers, great farmers – tremendous farmers—money Trump has committed to American farmers u.s.Soybean purchases from the U.S. have plummeted. Consequently, many farmers are experiencing economic distress because of decreased demand and increased competition from other suppliers. The President has specifically charged that China is using negotiations over soya as a means of getting a better deal in wider talks.
The drama reached new heights by the time it was obvious that China was going to accept Argentine soybeans and not American products. Workers unloaded soybeans onto trucks at a port in San Andres de Giles, north of Buenos Aires, in May 2025. This move illustrates Argentina’s zeal to appease China’s request. Today’s development makes it all the more critical for Trump to focus on these trade challenges squarely.
That’s why it’s a very good thing that president-elect Trump will be meeting with Xi before long. He is looking to re-establish trade favors and negotiate for a restoration of Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans. We applaud the President’s administration for taking meaningful steps to restore goodwill among important agricultural constituencies. They’re doing everything possible to ensure American farmers get the vital help they need amidst these challenges.