Trump tariff policies are hurting farmers and creating a crisis for Rural America.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Bloomberg’s Hallie Gu and Clarice Couto reported that “just days before the start of the U.S. export season for soybeans, the world’s top importer doesn’t appear to have bought a single American cargo for the coming year.”
The world’s largest soybean importer, China, has not placed a single American cargo order for 2026. This isn’t just a minor hiccup, it’s an economic disaster for farmers and rural communities. Soybeans are the second largest crop in the U.S. and China has historically been our biggest buyer. With that market now gone, farmer’s silos are overflowing, prices are collapsing and families across America’s heartland are staring down financial ruin.
The American Soybean Association sent a letter to Trump, warning that “U.S. soybean farmers are standing at a trade and financial precipice.”
The New York Times recently reported that China is doubling down on purchases from Brazil, effectively cutting the U.S. out of the world’s fastest-growing market. Bloomberg followed with data showing U.S. soybean exports at their lowest level in over a decade. This crisis isn’t confined to soybeans. Fortune highlighted the cascading impact: corn prices have plunged more than 50% since their 2022 peak, worsening farmers’ credit conditions and threatening the survival of family farms.
“U.S. soybean exports to China fell from over 36 million tons in 2017 to zero in 2025.”
With global buyers turning elsewhere, the oversupply of U.S. grain has rippled into corn, wheat, and livestock feed. Rural banks are reporting a surge in loan delinquencies, and the ripple effects are visible on Main Street—farm equipment dealers, seed companies and local retailers are all suffering.
“Corn prices have collapsed more than 50% since their 2022 peak.”
Video: Soybean farmer describes impact of tariffs
Graphs: Agricultural Crisis at a Glance
China Soybean Imports by Destination (2015–2025)
(Exports to China vanish in 2025, with Brazil taking the lead supplier role.)U.S. Farm Income vs. Input Costs (2015–2025)
(Input costs keep climbing while farm income plunges.)U.S. Corn Prices (2022–2025)
(Corn prices have dropped more than 50% since their 2022 peak.)
Soybean Exports to China vs Brazil (2015–2025)
U.S. Farm Income vs. Input Costs (2015–2025)
U.S. Corn Prices (2022–2025)
Trump to Farmers: You screwed up, you voted for me
The Trump administration’s tariff policies, pitched as tough negotiating tactics, have left US farmers for collateral damage. The promises of quick deals and better trade terms have not materialized. Instead, rural America has been handed a crisis that it refused to believe was possible when it voted overwhelmingly for Trump.
“While farm income has dropped below $115 billion, input costs have soared past $125 billion.”
The message is simple: Trump doesn’t care about his constituents, not even his supporters. His trade war is leaving farmers bankrupt, rural communities undermined and America’s global competitiveness in agriculture diminished.
Have you called your US Congressman lately? US House of Representatives Switchboard: (202) 224-3121, US Senate Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
References and Additional Reading
In Tariff Standoff With Trump, China Boycotts American Soybeans
Carolina Journal: NC soybeans caught in the tariff crossfire
Reuters: China boosts soybean buys from Argentina, Uruguay amid US trade war, sources say