FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – President Trump is planning to help out US Soybean farmers with an aid package as some farmers in North Dakota are feeling the brunt of the ongoing US-China trade war.
“These prices don’t work, so how long can you survive that,” said Mark Watne, the North Dakota Farmers Union President.
Mark Watne is the North Dakota Farmers Union President. Watne resides in Fargo, but farms North of Velva near Minot. He tells me farmers are feeling the uncertainty of what’s next.
“They’re very concerned and very uneasy because we have become a non-trusting, unreliable supplier,” said Watne.
Farmers may have to sell crops at a loss because of retaliatory tariffs placed on by China.
In 2024, North Dakota ranked number four in the U.S. in total soybean acres planted and harvested. For this year’s crop, the US’s biggest buyer, China, has yet to buy a single soybean.
“If China cannot buy any beans from us, we will stockpile them beans here as we either crush them in the U.S. or we find other markets. You can’t replace that Chinese market with any other markets in the world,” said Watne.
As the trade war continues Watne had this message.
“We’ve never seen a trade war work; it always ends up costing the consumer and the farmer. We’ve never seen that work,” said Watne.
Watne added that do need the help but says it’s only a short-term fix.
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