NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — China remains one of the most important export markets for U.S. agriculture, but the relationship has become more uncertain. American Farm Bureau Federation economist Faith Parum says U.S. agricultural exports to China reached a record $40.9 billion in 2022, then fell to about $27 billion in 2024.
Soybeans remain the center of the relationship. AFBF says soybeans accounted for 47 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports to China in 2024, underscoring how concentrated the market remains in a single commodity.
Brazil has captured more of China’s soybean demand. In 2010, the U.S. supplied 45 percent of China’s soybean imports, while Brazil supplied 32 percent. By 2024, Brazil’s share rose to 70 percent, while the U.S. fell to 23 percent.
AFBF says recent 2026 soybean sales to China have improved, but paper commitments still need to follow through.
For farmers, stable export demand matters as margins remain tight.
Farm-Level Takeaway: China remains critical to U.S. farm exports, but Brazil’s growing market share keeps pressure on U.S. soybean demand.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
UT Institute of Agriculture reporter Charles Denney visited a class at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville, where students in the School of Natural Resources traded traditional classrooms for hands-on outdoor learning.
Cotton margins improved slightly, even as fertilizer and fuel costs rose due to the Strait of Hormuz disruption linked to the Iran war.
The New World Screwworm case was detected roughly 119 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border — at nearly the same latitude as Zapata, Texas.
U.S. export inspections turned in another strong corn week.
The latest developments point to shifting export routes, higher congestion risk, and continuing cost pressure for grain, fertilizer, and energy shipments.
Cotton prices improved last week, but drought, storms, and uneven planting are keeping risk elevated.
