U.S. soybean growers warn of “extreme financial stress” after China left the market

The American Soybean Association is calling on the White House to ease up on Chinese tariffs

Soybean growers have a strong message for the Trump Administration. One group says they are under extreme financial stress, and tariffs are making it worse.

With China largely absent from the buying table, the American Soybean Association is calling on the White House to ease up on Chinese tariffs.

In a 10-page paper outlining the situation, the group warns that time is running out, and farmers could pay the price. They say tariffs against China have had a limited impact on soybeans so far, but with harvest around the corner, that will soon change. China imports as much as 60 percent of the world’s soybean supply, but the group warns retaliatory tariffs make U.S. beans 20 percent more expensive, driving China to places, like Brazil.

The Soy Transportation Coalition is also weighing in, saying China has been the ideal customer for a number of reaons. They have a large population with growing incomes, they consume large amounts of pork and poultry, and they cook with a large volume of oils. Executive Director Mike Steenhoek says a lot of rural America’s growth over the last 30 years has been because of the Chinese market and the ability for U.S. soybean growers to export there.

Related Stories
Record crops are increasing grain storage needs, prompting safety experts to remind producers of the risk of grain bin entrapment during harvest.
The impacts of the government shutdown have reached commodity growers with crops to move, ag economists monitoring the harvest without key data reporting, and meat producers in need of new export markets.
In a statement provided to RFD-TV News, a USDA spokesperson reiterated President Trump and the USDA’s commitment to farmers in difficult economic times.
China is not one of our top suppliers of cooking oil, according to USDA ERS data, but does export a lot of used cooking oil to the U.S. for biofuel production.
Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities joined RFD-TV’s Market Day Report to share insight into what’s happening on the ground and in the markets.
New U.S. fees on Chinese-owned and built ships took effect overnight, marking the latest escalation in maritime trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
President Trump is expected to press Argentina to take a tougher stance on China in exchange for political and economic support.
Treat storage as risk management and logistics, and budget to break even since export growth is unlikely to absorb bigger U.S. corn and soybean crops.
Escalating U.S.–China tensions threaten soybean demand as farm finances are stretched further.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

CattleCon 2026 kicks off February 3 in Nashville. Kristin Torres with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association joined RFD-TV to share more about what’s ahead at this year’s event.
Farmland values remain stable, but weakened credit conditions and lower expected farm income signal tighter financial margins heading into 2026.
The White House is now preparing to restore an Endangered Species Act (ESA) rule from the first Trump Administration.
Agriculture Shows
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.
The goal of “Where the Food Comes From” is as simple as its name implies — host Chip Carter takes you along on the journey of where our food comes from — and we don’t just mean to the supermarket (though that’s part of the big picture!). But beyond where it comes from, how it gets there, and all the links in the chain that make that happen.
Join markets specialist Scott Shellady, better known as the Cow Guy, as he covers the market-close, breaking down headlines that drive the commodities and equities markets with commentary from respected industry heavyweights.