U.S. farm exports fall in ’25 as sales to China drop

U.S. farm exports totaled $171.3 billion in 2025, a 3% drop from the year before, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. The decline was about $5 billion year over year.

A major driver was a sharp fall in soybean exports to China, down about $9.6 billion, even as other commodities posted gains in other markets. Overall exports to China declined 66% to $8.3 billion, and soybean sales to China ended the year at $3 billion, down from $12.6 billion in 2024.

The U.S. continued to run a farm trade deficit. Agricultural imports were $212 billion in 2025, down less than 1% from the previous year.

Trade policy also shifted late in the year. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump can’t use the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to levy tariffs, nullifying tariffs imposed on China and other trading partners. The president then imposed a 10% import surcharge for 150 days under the Trade Act of 1974 and said he plans to raise it to 15%; fertilizers not produced in sufficient quantity in the U.S. to meet domestic demand will be exempt.

Mexico remained the top market for U.S. agricultural exports at $30.6 billion, up 1%, while exports to Canada fell 4% to $28.2 billion. Exports to the European Union rose 11% to $16.7 billion, while commodity results were mixed: wheat exports increased 8% to $6.3 billion, dairy rose 15% to $9.5 billion, and beef declined 11% to $9.3 billion. Processed fruit exports rose 3% to $1.6 billion, while fresh fruit exports fell 3% to $4.6 billion.

Why it matters

• Lower export totals and continued high imports kept the U.S. in a farm trade deficit in 2025.
• The drop in sales to China—especially soybeans—was large enough to outweigh gains in other markets and commodities.
• New tariff authority limits and a temporary import surcharge could affect input costs and market conditions, with an exemption for certain fertilizers.

What to do next

• Track whether soybean buying from China continues to recover and how that shows up in export totals.
• Watch for updates on the import surcharge, including whether it moves from 10% to 15% and how exemptions are applied.

Source

Original reporting by capitalpress.com: https://capitalpress.com/2026/02/23/u-s-farm-exports-fall-in-25-as-sales-to-china-drop/