Many conversations are underway about solutions for the farm economy — from creating new demand for agricultural products here at home through the Buy America effort and increased biofuel production to expanding current export opportunities and developing new ones.
This year’s spike in farm operational costs created a series of shocks that knocked down farmers’ profits and sent many even further into the red.
Ideas to lower input costs range from producing more fertilizer and other farm supplies domestically to protecting shipping routes and advancing research into new tools that protect against insects, weeds and plant diseases.
There is no silver bullet that sets up U.S. agriculture for a vibrant future, but each of us has an opportunity to contribute.
Shoppers should remember that food prices on the shelf tell you little about what farm families earn, and it’s important to seek out accurate information about agriculture.
As some of the most trusted people in America, every farmer and rancher can help supply that information, whether in conversations, presentations or interviews.
Congress and the administration can modernize policies and programs that support agriculture to lay the foundation for future farm success, which is a fundamental part of our country’s success.
China To Cut Tariffs On U.S. Goods, Excluding Soybeans
The United States and China have taken another step toward easing trade barriers, each identifying roughly $30 billion in goods for tariff reductions. This list comes from the newly established U.S.-China Board of Trade.
China’s list of goods covered under the new “30-for-30″ trade framework includes major U.S. agricultural products such as beef, pork, poultry, dairy, corn, wheat, rice, sorghum and specialty crops, but whole soybeans are excluded.
Historically, China has been a top trading partner for U.S. agriculture. However, that has fallen amid the ongoing negotiations and trade tensions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that U.S. agricultural exports to China fell 66% in 2025 to $8.4 billion, dropping China to the sixth-largest U.S. agricultural export market.
The 30-for-30 framework represents potential improvement in market access for U.S. agriculture. Lower tariffs can help U.S. products compete, but they don’t guarantee sales.
For farmers and ranchers, the real test is how far tariffs fall, how quickly the cuts take effect, whether regulatory barriers are addressed and, ultimately, whether ships leave U.S. ports loaded with American farm products bound for China.
Mixed Signals In Hog Market
The data contained in the latest Hogs and Pigs report confirmed what futures have been signaling for months: A smaller breeding herd has not translated into significantly tighter pork supplies.
USDA’s September Hogs and Pigs report showed a smaller U.S. hog herd with total inventories near 74.3 million head, about 2% below a year ago, while the breeding herd remains historically tight.
Heavier market weights and improved productivity continue to offset a smaller hog inventory. At the same time, export demand is becoming less reliable.
Competition from Brazil, Canada and Europe is growing, while key markets like Mexico and South Korea are showing signs of slower demand growth.
For now, positive margins are giving hog farmers little reason to aggressively liquidate herds. But that support could become less certain if feed costs continue to climb and hog prices continue to erode.
The University of Illinois FarmDoc analysis estimates average swine feed costs could rise nearly 10% in 2027 compared with 2026, assuming current grain price projections hold.
Heading into the new year, demand is positioned to play a much larger role in determining market direction than herd size alone.
James Henry is the executive editor of Illinois AgriNews and Indiana AgriNews.