As Donald Trump prepares for his upcoming summit with Xi Jinping, one of America’s quiet yet critical industries—soybean farming—is taking center stage. The U.S.–China trade dynamics have placed this staple crop under intensified scrutiny, as China’s reduced imports of U.S. soybeans threaten the rural economy in the Midwest.
China once purchased roughly 28% of U.S. soybean output. After the trade war and tariffs introduced by the Trump administration, that share dropped sharply, later rebounding somewhat before sliding again to 22% in 2024.
The loss of the Chinese market, coupled with rising costs and weather challenges, has put American farmers in a difficult position. Farmers in Illinois and Missouri report they are selling soybeans below the cost of production as Beijing pivots to Brazil and Argentina for its supply.
The decision by China to halt or reduce purchases of U.S. soybeans is seen by policy analysts as part of a broader decoupling strategy—not simply retaliation for tariffs but a long‑term shift in trade alignment.
