October 30, 2025
China Buys the First U.S. Soybeans of the Season
China’s state-owned agri-food company, called COFCO (China National Cereals, Oils, and Foodstuffs), bought three cargoes of U.S. soybeans this week. Two trade sources told Reuters that the country’s first U.S. soybean buy of the season happened shortly before a summit of leaders Donald Trump and Xi (ZHEE) Jinping. The deal calls for a December-January shipment of about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans, the first purchase in months. However, traders say they don’t expect a significant resumption in demand for U.S. soybeans after several big purchases of South American soybeans. Bloomberg said grain traders have been optimistic that China and the U.S. would eventually reach a deal this week, which pushed soybean prices higher in Chicago. However, they are still cautious about how much China will actually purchase during this season. With weak Chinese soymeal prices, some still question the profitability of soy imports for Chinese crushers, even if tariffs revert to pre-war levels.
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Senate Votes Against Trump Tariffs
The Senate once again pushed back against tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump, voting against the 50 percent tariff on Brazilian beef imports. Senators voted 52-48 to end the national emergency declared by Trump in order to impose the duties. Five Republican Senators joined Democrats in approving the move. Politico said it’s the first in a series of three resolutions intended to stop the president’s tariffs on Brazil and Canada, as well as Trump’s tariffs on other countries around the world. The vote does remain largely symbolic because of the House of Representatives, in which Republican leadership blocked the chamber from a potential vote to block the tariffs until March. “Republican senators who go home feel like they’ve been hit with a wrecking ball,” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). “People come up to all of us and say, ‘The tariffs are killing us.’ In grocery stores, people are upset.”
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Two Dozen States Sue Over Food Stamp Suspension
A group of over two dozen states has sued the Trump administration over its decision to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on November 1. The move came as the government shutdown continues. The lawsuit is co-led by New York, California, and Massachusetts. The Democratic attorneys general and three governors in the lawsuit want a federal judge to order the USDA to tap into emergency funds to distribute food benefits to almost 42 million families who rely on SNAP for help to buy groceries. The suit said the federal government is obligated by law to maintain food benefits to the low-income households that rely on the program. They’re asking a federal court to issue a ruling by Friday. The Guardian notes that SNAP is the nation’s largest food assistance program. USDA said the program serves about one in every eight low-income Americans at a cost of about $8 billion a month.
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Grains Group Applauds Asian Trade Deal Announcements
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office announced that agreements on reciprocal trade were reached over the weekend with Cambodia and Malaysia. Framework agreements for similar trade deals were secured with Thailand and Vietnam with the goal of eliminating trade barriers to further increase U.S. producers’ competitiveness. The U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council issued a statement reacting positively to the announcement. “The Council believes that when trade works, the world wins, and the steps that the U.S. Trade Representative’s, Office led by Jamieson Greer, has taken to facilitate the movement of U.S. agricultural goods are a welcome sight for the entire industry,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGBC president and CEO. “The Council looks forward to the USTR’s continued efforts that will help reduce costs for consumers and drive demand around the world for U.S. farmers and businesses.” The announcement mirrored the Council’s mission of developing export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum, and ethanol.
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NPPC Proposes Strategy to Define “Ultra-Processed Foods”
The National Pork Producers Council has held ongoing discussions with the Trump administration ahead of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans release. The NPPC has formally expressed concerns regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s forthcoming definition of “ultra-processed foods,” which could be damaging for consumers of pork products. The Council made several recommendations to the FDA, including to not classify food as ultra-processed simply because it doesn’t fit into one of the categories in the problematic NOVA classification system. Such a sorting focuses on the food processing rather than the nutritional benefits. They’d also like the agency to not classify foods as ultra-processed that contain ingredients to enhance food safety, shelf stability, and nutrient availability. “As there is no consensus on what constitutes an ‘ultra-processed food,’ the FDA should elevate the importance of nutritional composition, while also protecting the processing and ingredients promoting food safety and nutrient availability,” the NPPC said.
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National Farmers Union Convention Registration is Open
You are invited to join family farmers and ranchers from across the country in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the National Farmers Union’s 124th anniversary convention. It’s three days of meaningful fellowship, thoughtful policy conversations, and inspiring speakers. The NFU said, “2025 brought plenty of challenges, including a new administration, a new policy landscape, trade disruptions, rising costs, and economic uncertainty. Our convention is a time to find strength through connection and prepare for another year of fighting for family agriculture, as we’ve done for more than 120 years.” With so much at stake, the organization encourages farmers and other interested ag stakeholders not too miss the opportunity to shape Farmers Union’s grassroots advocacy priorities to ensure a brighter future for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. The group says the convention is even more interesting and fun with friends and family. Anyone can attend the 124th Anniversary Convention — not just Farmers Union members.
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