Rebels, the global soybean trade has been turned upside down. In 2025, retaliatory tariffs from China and aggressive export moves from Argentina have devastated U.S. soybean exports.

Prices are tanking. Bins are full. Small and regenerative farms are struggling to survive.

The Tariff Fallout: What’s Happening in 2025

U.S. soybean farmers have been blindsided by China’s 20% retaliatory tariff and Argentina’s suspension of its own soy export taxes. Combined, these policies have erased American soy from global markets at peak harvest season.

China and Argentina Turn Their Backs on US Soy

China, historically the top buyer of U.S. soybeans has purchased zero new-crop soybeans from the U.S. in 2025. Instead, they’ve locked in shipments from Brazil and Argentina. Argentina, in a bold move, eliminated export taxes on soybeans, flooding the market with low-cost supply and undercutting U.S. farmers further.

US Soybean Prices Crash to 5-Year Lows

Prices have dropped below $10/bushel in many regions, far below the break-even point for smaller growers. In Illinois, farmers are reporting losses up to $64 per acre.

Financial stress is escalating as bins fill and buyers vanish.

How Tariffs Are Crushing Small and Regenerative Farmers

• Export-dependent farms have no market for 2025 soy.

• Rising input costs from related tariffs (steel, fertilizer) make break-even impossible.

• Small and regenerative farms lack federal subsidy access enjoyed by large operations.

• Mental health hotlines are reporting a rise in distress calls from farm operators.

What Big Ag and Corporations Are Doing Instead

Corporate giants like Bunge and Cargill are shifting sourcing to Brazil and Argentina. U.S. farmers? Left behind. Even as grain traders profit globally, small domestic producers are fighting to keep their land, equipment, and dignity.

What Regenerative Farmers Are Doing Differently

• Diversifying crops: grains, legumes, pasture-based livestock.

• Adding value: food-grade, organic, and identity-preserved soy for local and specialty markets.

• Investing in soil health to reduce dependence on fertilizer.

• Connecting directly with regional processors, food co-ops, and buyers.

Policy Solutions to Reclaim Fair Farm Trade

• End the trade war: remove or reduce the soybean tariff standoff with China.

• Prioritize small farms in bailout and relief programs.

• Expand value-added grants, regenerative transition funds, and crop insurance reform.

• Invest in regional processing to reduce dependency on exports.

What's Next for the Soybean Industry and Local Food Systems

The future of soy in America hangs in the balance. Will we double down on high-volume exports and monoculture? Or build a more resilient, regenerative system?

Thanks for reading and while we've never been fans of soy, we can't sit back and watch foreign interests crush American Farmers.

Viva La Regenaissance!

-Ryan Griggs, Founder