Imagine a group of soybean industry leaders gathered years ago to engage in a long-term strategy session. Picture them brainstorming what the perfect international customer would look like. Someone grabs a Sharpie and writes at the top of the whiteboard: “The Ideal Customer.”
As the group continues brainstorming, the following bullet points are added:
- Large population
- Growing per capita income
- Insatiable appetite for pork in personal diets
- Insatiable appetite for poultry in personal diets
- Cooking methodology that utilizes a substantial volume of oil for frying
These bullet points capture, in a nutshell, the Chinese market—and why it has been such a source of profitability for U.S. soybean farmers. Much of the economic development in rural America over the past 20 to 30 years stems from effectively exporting soybeans to China.
Organizations like the U.S. Soybean Export Council have worked diligently for years to diversify and expand marketing opportunities beyond China. But as the American Soybean Association and others have stated, China remains a truly unique and irreplaceable market.
To further illustrate this point, imagine a restaurateur opens a sports bar next to a Major League Baseball stadium. The compelling reason for choosing that location? On 81 occasions each year—the number of regular season home games—thousands of fans pass by, many of whom come inside to eat wings, burgers and more.
Now imagine the baseball team abruptly relocates to a new stadium across town—or leaves the city altogether. Someone might tell the business owner, “Don’t worry, you can attract other customers.” But the likely response would be: “That may be somewhat true, but the main reason I opened here was to serve that specific crowd.”
The moral of the story: when a small business owner, company or industry invests heavily to serve a key customer, it is entirely reasonable to protect that investment when the customer’s presence is threatened.
U.S. soybean farmers have worked hard to establish the Chinese market. It’s not just reasonable—it’s strategic—to preserve and grow it.
The economic benefits to soybean farmers have been clear. But even beyond that, U.S. soybean exports to China have brought broader benefits. Soybeans are one of the few agricultural products that consistently deliver a trade surplus. And perhaps more importantly, they help strengthen bilateral ties with China.
Extending U.S. influence isn’t only about aircraft carriers or diplomatic outposts. It’s also about farmers growing abundant, high-quality food that supports protein and nutrition needs for populations around the world—including in China. That kind of contribution enhances U.S. credibility and reach on the global stage.
There are certainly areas of disagreement between the United States and China that require resolution. But when friction arises in any relationship—whether between individuals or nations—it’s wise to first take stock of what is going well.
That which is working should be preserved. It can serve as a bridge to help solve the more difficult areas of conflict.
U.S. farmers providing food to China and other nations is one of those bright spots. It is our hope that this success continues—and is protected and preserved for the future.
