

The Bean at the Center of the Trade War
118 snips Sep 25, 2025
It's harvest season, but Iowa farmer Scott Dierickx reveals he's facing losses on soybeans. The podcast dives into how China wields soybeans as a weapon in the U.S. trade war, shifting from being a top importer to seeking supplies from Brazil. With tariffs and retaliatory actions disrupting markets, local prices plummet, causing a financial squeeze for farmers. As global demand changes, the discussion highlights the urgent need for agricultural resilience and the challenges of relying on a single market.
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Morning Runs To The River
- Scott Dierickx remembers riding with his father before dawn to load soybeans onto barges on the Mississippi River.
- Those beans would travel to the Gulf and then be exported, often to China.
China Dominates Soybean Demand
- China is the world's largest soy importer and historically bought nearly a quarter of U.S. soybeans.
- When China stops buying, American soybean prices and farm incomes quickly collapse.
Soybeans Fuel The Meat Supply Chain
- Soybeans are widespread across the Midwest but less visually imposing than corn.
- They feed livestock and underpin the meat-protein supply chain, driving huge demand.