agriculture News Updates

China is expected to step up U.S. soybean purchases to meet a pledge to buy at least 12 million tons by the end of the year, underscoring a wider market hope that a fragile trade truce can hold.

The weak outlook for the maker of iconic green and yellow tractors comes as farmers have been hit hard by low crop prices and President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to increase the speed and size of agricultural purchases and said Beijing had “more or less agreed” to do so.

Tyson Foods is ending operations at a beef plant in Nebraska and cutting a shift at a Texas facility as the meat producer loses millions amid the smallest American cattle herd in decades.

The warming of ties between the U.S. and China have boosted crop prices, with soybeans hovering near the highest levels since June 2024.

The Trump administration intends to release its long-awaited plan to offer relief for beleaguered farmers early next month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Nov. 19.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Nov. 18 announced the sale of 792,000 tons of soybeans to China for the 2025-2026 marketing year, the biggest daily purchase in two years.

Soybean futures jumped on signals that China is stepping up buying of the oilseed, offering hope for U.S. farmers after purchases appeared to have stalled.

The move comes as President Trump has pivoted to focusing on affordability measures as voters are growing increasingly wary of the economy under his leadership.

The moves to ease trade in cattle come as the Trump administration is looking to provide relief to American consumers with wholesale beef prices surging in recent years.