U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today (Thurs.), ahead of President Trump’s trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the G20 Summit, urged the president to prioritize the restoring of U.S. soybean market access in China when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss trade and other issues.
“We appreciate your efforts to address China’s unfair trade practices, but our soybean producers cannot continue to bear the brunt of China’s retaliatory tariffs, especially considering the current weak agricultural economy,” the senators wrote. “As you continue working to reach a trade agreement with China, we respectfully request that you make restoring U.S. soybean market access in China a top priority.”
South Dakota is expected to produce 275 million bushels of soybeans this year, and two-thirds of that production is typically exported to China. This year, however, U.S. soybean exports to China have nearly ground to a halt.
