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Crop production estimates put pressure on trade

An ag economist with Purdue University says the USDA corn and soybean production estimates are putting pressure on trade officials to come to an agreement with China.

Chris Hurt says the need for markets is even more important as harvest approaches.

“We’ve got a huge crop and we need markets to sell that crop and this is a particularly bad time to have such a big crop and then have some restrictions in our primary market going to China,” he says.

He tells Brownfield tariffs have had an immediate impact on the ag industry, especially soybean farmers.

“It really shows up and gets magnified a bit more now that we have so many beans that we can’t sell,” he says.

Hurt says it’s still unclear how long tariffs will remain in place, but ag leaders will continue to speak out about trade to the U.S. Trade Representative and the Trump administration.

Audio: Chris Hurt, Purdue University