, Columnist
Why China Won't Pull the Trigger on Soybeans
Curbing purchases from America would hurt domestic farmers and Beijing.
This article is for subscribers only.
How could China hit back against President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum? Soybeans are often suggested.
Restrictions on the legume would hit farmers right in the middle of the Trump-supporting rural midwest. Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio, which all flipped from Democratic to Republican in the 2016 election, produce about a quarter of America's crop. Potential battlegrounds including Minnesota, Indiana and Missouri are all major growers, too.