ENC Soybean farmers speak on China-US trade war
“In the end it will help us but we’ll have to suffer a little bit to get there”
CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - After hearing about China’s retaliatory tariffs following President Donald Trump’s announcement of 145% tariffs, soybean farmers feel caught in the middle of the trade war.
But it’s a way to negotiate a better deal, Craven County farmer David Parker says.
“I think they’re just trying to level the playing field really,” says Parker.
The US is the second-largest producer of soybeans in the world, with Brazil leading production. However, China bought 51% of US soybeans or around $14 billion in 2024.
North Carolina produced over 63 million bushels, with Robeson and Pitt County leading the state.
For farmer David Dawson, who is also a board member of the NC Soybean Association, he says his buyers told him that they may be spending more to produce.
“Looking down the road, like six months from now or whatnot, the inputs will be going up due to the tariffs. The potash is the main fertilizer used on beans and will probably be changing prices going up,” Dawson says.
With tariff announcements changing daily, Parker says he feels somewhat optimistic about tariffs, but notes that everyone will feel the pain when prices go up.
“The farming economy is not good right now, regardless of the tariffs. The farmers are suffering because of commodity prices, and right now is not a good time to be farming,” says Parker.
Dawson says farmers buy their products at market value, and can’t make up the difference in extra cost of crops which leaves it up to the consumers.
“The consumer is going to be the one making up the difference for the retailer. They’re just going to pass on the cost to them,” says Dawson.
The USDA says China may shift to Brazil for soybeans, which may impact US farmers’ income and market stability.
President Trump also announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs with the exception of China.
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