Opinion: Led by Soybeans, Agriculture Ballasts China-U.S. Trade Relations

Food and agriculture trade is almost as old as agriculture itself. Today, food is one of the world’s most commonly traded goods. You find it everywhere, right down to countless school lunchrooms around the globe. And as food nourishes life, healthy trade promotes prosperity.

I believe the role of agriculture in trade between the U.S. and China exemplifies this. Though the challenges and tensions between the world’s two largest economies are real and complex, agricultural trade serves as a stabilizing force - like the ballast of a ship. The USDA values U.S. agricultural exports to China in fiscal year 2023 at $36 billion.

As a soybean farmer, I’m proud of how U.S. Soy has built and maintained trust with China over the last 40 years. Together, we have worked to facilitate open communication, collaboration and cooperation focused on mutually beneficial opportunities with China’s multiple soy consuming industries. Over this time, China has grown to be the world’s largest soy consumer, importing roughly 60% of soybeans traded internationally, according to the USDA. Those soybeans enable China to support the long-term growth of what has become the world’s largest feed, pork, poultry, eggs, aquaculture, edible oil and soy food sectors, as well as the second-largest chicken broiler sector. All these industries have grown dramatically over the last 40 years, and I believe that collaboration with U.S. farmers and USDA-funded partners has helped make this happen.

Here in the U.S., we are blessed with abundance and produce more soybeans than we can consume, and China needs more than they can produce so there is a natural synergistic relationship. In real terms, China’s soybean imports represent almost half of the soy exported from the U.S., according to the USDA. U.S. Soy also has the lowest carbon footprint compared with soy of other origins as measured by Blonk Consultants Agri-footprint, supporting sustainability goals in China.

Reliable agricultural exports to China’s food, feed, and soybean sectors provide reciprocal economic opportunities for U.S. farmers. Just this fall, I had the opportunity to witness several

U.S. exporters sign 18 individual purchase agreements with Chinese ag companies and importers at ceremonies in both the U.S. and China. U.S. Soy also signed three agreements with Chinese companies to use the Sustainable U.S. Soy logo on their products. A participating USDA representative said the contracts allow U.S. farmers to invest and foster innovation to sustainably intensify production to deliver nutrition and food security.

Another great example of the value of people-to-people diplomacy and constructive dialogue in agriculture was the recent U.S.-China Agricultural Trade Cooperation Forum in Beijing in early November 2023. The delegation of U.S. ag cooperators included 11 different U.S. agricultural commodity groups. We convened with leaders from China's agricultural trade associations and enterprises for in-depth dialogue on the topics of trade, food security and economic development.

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These personal discussions and ongoing trade missions that bring U.S. farmers to China and Chinese industry leaders to U.S. farms demonstrate an eye on commitment to building trust. Solving the inevitable issues that arise with trade is easier when productive working relationships built on trust already exist.

A shared vision of prosperity and commitments to value creation and building trust can lead to successful trade relationships, where all participants win. This is a worthy goal for the China-U.S. relationship. Together, we can do the hard work that makes any trade work, rather than only focusing on the challenges. This will benefit everyone in the U.S., China, and the rest of the world.

Let’s remember we are in the business of feeding people. International trade is the method to move our goods from areas of abundance to areas of deficit. We have worked hard to develop a positive and mutually beneficial ag trade relationship with China. I want to encourage you, my fellow farmers, to share your positive experiences of agriculture’s mutually beneficial relationship with China, a synergy that farmers have invested our dollars and time in for many years.

Stan Born, a soybean and corn farmer from Lovington, Illinois, serves as the chairman of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) Board of Directors. He has been on the American Soybean Association’s Board of Directors since 2016. In the past, he served as treasurer and assistant secretary treasurer on the Illinois Soybean Association’s Board of Directors. He has a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, a business management certification from Bradley University, and over 33 years of management experience in positions at Caterpillar Inc.