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“This is kind of a Band-Aid — we need more markets more than we need aid,” said Missouri farmer Marty Richardson, adding that he feels like 2026 will be just as bad as this year.

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

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.

After a flurry of orders late last month — which were the first of this season — Chinese imports of U.S. cargoes seem to have faltered, according to traders who asked not to be identified.

The pause is fueling uncertainty over whether the biggest consumer of American soybeans will import as much as President Donald Trump’s administration claims to expect.

The decision follows the meeting between President Donald Trump and  Xi Jinping, a summit that produced a trade truce that set China back on the path to buying American farm goods again.

Chinese and U.S. officials reached a broad framework agreement over the weekend in Malaysia, paving the way for Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump to finalize a trade deal.

Agricultural trade was among a range of issues that American and Chinese negotiators said they came to terms on, setting the table for leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to finalize a deal.