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China trade framework leaves some unanswered questions

A marketing advisor says President Trump’s announcement about trade with China is encouraging but the planned soybean sales are not what they used to be. “The plan is 25 million metric tons for the next three years, and really what that will do is puts us back to just an average round of soybean sales to China.”

John Heinberg with Total Farm Marketing tells Brownfield one big question about the soybean sales remains. “China did by 5.9 million metric tons in the first half of 2025 with early purchases in the January window last winter. Do they count towards the twelve, or are we getting twelve million additional above that?”

Heinberg says the wheat market has also responded nicely to the announced trade framework with China since China might be in the market for U.S. wheat.  He says other grain markets might benefit from a China deal, too. “There’s going to be more announcements coming regarding grains, and that might happen in the next week or two. If there is some wheat purchases or if there’s some sorghum purchases on the books, export inspections for sorghum have been very good so I think we’re seeing some movement there as well.”

Heinberg says China has a near-record corn crop, so he’s not expecting much corn buying but other countries are buying U.S. corn.

AUDIO: John Heinberg with Total Farm Marketing discusses the reaction to President Trump’s latest China trade announcement with Brownfield’s Larry Lee