BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota is ninth on the list of top soybean-producing states, but the escalating U.S.-China trade war is still a big issue.
Soybeans have grown in popularity in North Dakota in recent years and now equal the size of the state’s staple spring wheat crop. And North Dakota Trade Office Director Simon Wilson says China is the No. 1 export market for North Dakota soybeans.
Soybean Growers Association President Joe Ericson says farmers are “in the crosshairs right now” due the uncertainty of tariff-related market disruptions.
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring farms soybeans and has a background in international soybean marketing. He acknowledges there’s a lot of anxiety about the trade war but cautions that things are likely to change. He says, “we don’t need to be drama queens about this.”
