Economists on Trade Deal with China: “If exports decline, our farmers decline”

Farm groups are eager for details of the Chinese trade deal.

One organization has been talking to farmers coast to coast and tells us exports are their top concern.

“20 percent of US farm revenue comes from exports, so if our exports decline, our farmers decline, and that’s really scary. Farmers are also price takers when it comes to input. So if we’re driving up the cost of fertilizer or steel or farm chemicals, farmers get squeezed, and that’s the big concern. We don’t want to see farmers go out of business. Farmers play an important role in terms of food security, in terms of keeping our rural communities afloat,” said Brian Kuehl.

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins appeared before the House Ag Committee this week, talking about some of those concerns. During her four-plus-hour testimony, she doubled down on her commitment to remove obstacles for small farmers.

Related Stories
The U.S. Meat Export Federation plans to expand its global market presence in the New Year and says it is focusing its appeal on the growing middle class worldwide.
Strong ethanol production and export trends continue to support corn demand despite seasonal fuel consumption softness.
Cotton demand depends on demonstrating performance and reliability buyers can rely on, not messaging alone.
A look at the legislative year ahead as lawmakers return to Washington with a slate of trade concerns to tackle in 2026—from new Chinese tariffs on beef imports to the USMCA review this summer.
Cuba remains a small but dependable, cash-only outlet for U.S. grain and food products.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey spoke with U.S. Congressmen Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and John Rose (R-TN), who say bipartisan cooperation will be key to getting the Farm Bill to the president’s desk.
Merck’s Gary Tiller discusses new virtual fencing technology and how fence-free livestock management could change the way ranchers manage land and cattle.
At CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses profitability, consumer demand, and how the integrated U.S.–Canada beef supply chain impacts cattle producers across North America.
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Association’s Trenton Priddy preview this year’s event, which is now streaming on RFD+
Dr. Peter Beetham, interim CEO of Cibus, joined us to discuss the status of EU gene-editing deregulation and its potential implications for agriculture.