China’s bought about 50% of U.S. soybean exports since 1920. This year? Zero, thanks to Trump’s trade war

For U.S. farmers, abundant rains to fuel a bumper crop would normally be good news — but it won’t matter how much they produce this year if China, the world’s biggest buyer of soybeans, doesn’t purchase any of it.

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“This theory of short-term pain for gain down the road — that’s just not working, and it won’t work,” said Ed Hodgson, who farms 1,500 acres of land in Rice County, Kansas.

When U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans in April to implement tariffs on most countries — particularly key trading partners such as China, Mexico and Canada — Hodgson saw it as a “disaster” for farmers.

In the last five years, China has accounted for around 52% of soybean exports, he noted. This year, it has “not bought a bushel due to tariffs and the trade war,” said Hodgson …. “Our export market to China has just decimated the price.”

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So far this year, China has not purchased any soybeans from the U.S. for the 2025-26 marketing year, according to data from the U.S. Agriculture Department.

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