Maryland soybean farmers who say they sell a large portion of their crops to China tell News4 those sales have gone away this year.
“Typically, we would sell some beans in the fall and the rest in the spring,” said David Burrier at Linganore Farm in Union Bridge.
This is his 50th season as a Maryland farm owner, but this year has been especially challenging because of trade tensions between the U.S. and China, which usually buys his soybeans.
“The last time ag (agriculture) was really stressed like this was in the ‘80s, and it cost a lot of guys their farms, and a lot of guys didn’t make it,” Burrier said.
It’s harvest season, but Burrier’s crops are going into storage, not overseas. He hasn’t received a single order from China.
“We kind feel like we’re the scapegoat here,” Burrier said. “We are hanging. Absolutely.”
China slapped a 34% tariff on soybean imports in an ongoing dispute with the Trump administration over tariffs and rare earth minerals.
With the harvest underway, there aren’t a lot of options without a trade deal to open the market back up, Burrier said.
In a statement, the American Soybean Association said: “Trade wars are harmful to everyone, and these latest developments are deeply disappointing at a moment when soybean farmers are facing an ever-growing financial crisis.”
The price of a bushel of soybeans has dropped 30% on the world market, Burrier said. That leaves farmers like him with an uncertain future and soybeans sitting in silos.
President Donald Trump acknowledged China isn’t buying from American farmers. China is buying from Argentina, a country the U.S. government is considering extending billions of dollars in economic support to.
Trump has floated the idea of a bailout for soybean farmers, but some, like Burrier, don’t want a handout. He calls it welfare.
He wants to sell his crops.
“Unless we have a trade deal whether it be this year, what happens next year if we don’t have a trade deal?” he asks. “Do we get another welfare check? C’mon guys. Let’s pay attention to where we’re at and what’s going on.”
Burrier isn’t alone. According to the Maryland Soybean Board, almost 13,000 families are involved in soybean farming, producing 16 million bushels each year and contributing $200 million to the state economy.
Planting season starts in late April or early May, and if the demand still isn’t there, Burrier said he made need to scale back.
“This is not a problem we can kick down the road; this is a problem here and now,” he said. “I mean, let’s draw a line in the sand and work on it today. That is the message I want to send is: Guys. Uh, you’re killing us.”
A statement from USDA says, in part: “The president will not leave farmers behind and is using all tools available to ensure they have what they need.”
It goes on to say the USDA will continue to assess the farm economy and explore the need for further assistance.
On Truth Social Tuesday afternoon, Trump posted: “I believe that China purposefully not buying our Soybeans, and causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act. We are considering terminating business with China having to do with Cooking Oil, and other elements of Trade, as retribution. As an example, we can easily produce Cooking Oil ourselves, we don’t need to purchase it from China.”
