NC farmers say soybeans are latest casualty of trade war between U.S. and China

FOUR OAKS, N.C. (WTVD) — As central North Carolina farmers begin to harvest soybeans, the world’s largest buyer of the beans is looking elsewhere to purchase them.

Soybeans have become the latest victim of a trade war with China, as the U.S. and China enact tariffs on goods from each respective country.

Brandon Batten is one of the owners of his family’s farm, Triple B Farms, in Four Oaks, which is in Johnston County.

The family is celebrating the farm’s 40th anniversary this year as questions linger over who will take the place of Chinese buyers of their soy crop.

“We need all the markets we can get,” said Batten. “China is a huge consumer of everything. Beans are big. Not buying any beans has a tremendous impact on U.S. agriculture.”

Batten says they grow a number of other crops like wheat, corn, and rye on their farms.

He says they noticed China stopped buying other crops as well, specifically tobacco.

“If one’s having a bad year, the rest can kind of make up,” he said. “But when they all start having that pressure from losing a market the size of China, is when you really see the effects start to take its toll.

China’s backing away from buying U.S. agricultural products is coming at a bad time for farmers in the Tar Heel state and nationwide.

“Farmers are pushed to the margin right now. This is true for North Carolina and everywhere else in the country.”

Charles Hall from the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association says China buys 60% of soybeans in the world, and 30% of the soybeans grown in the US.

In North Carolina, the soybean industry has an over $1.2 billion economic impact, says Hall.

But Hall says as China now turns to Brazil for its soybeans, local demand for soybeans can help North Carolina farmers facing some uncertainty.

“We’re relatively protected because we have such great customers here in North Carolina,” he said. “We have pigs and we have chickens.”

Hall says a lot of the soybeans produced in NC are used to make feed for livestock animals across the state.

The Trump Administration says the tariffs on China are necessary to ease unfair trade practices and the trade deficit with the country.

Last week, the Trump Administration also announced plans for an aid package to help soybean farmers.

With so much uncertainty, farmers tell Eyewitness News they’re still worried about their bottom line.

“We’re all a little nervous trying to say, are we going to make enough to pay the bills? Are we going to be able to go again next year? Are we going to be able to satisfy those operating notes?” said Batten.