US Farmers Press China for Tariff Relief Ahead of Trade Talks
US farmers are pressing President Donald Trump to secure stronger Chinese agricultural purchase commitments and remove retaliatory tariffs ahead of trade talks between Trump and Xi Jinping in Washington. Soybeans, sorghum, corn, and meat are among the products at stake.
The American Soybean Association and National Sorghum Producers have urged the administration to push Beijing to eliminate retaliatory tariffs and provide greater certainty around agricultural purchases. Farmers want not just headline commitments but conditions that allow private Chinese buyers to return competitively to the US market, particularly as Brazil continues expanding production and strengthening its position as an alternative supplier.
Soybeans illustrate the challenge. China has traditionally been the largest foreign customer for the crop, accounting for roughly half of US soybean exports in recent years. However, this share has fallen from nearly two-thirds before Trump's first presidency. Eliminating the remaining 10% Chinese tariff could bring soybean prices at Pacific Northwest ports closer to parity with Brazilian cargoes.