U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers on Tuesday that China’s timeline for fulfilling its soybean purchase commitments has been formally extended to the end of the current “growing season,” rather than the previously stated deadline of December 2025. The clarification emerged during Greer’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington.
Greer said the adjustment addresses a “discrepancy” between the timeline he initially communicated and a November 1 White House statement following President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. That statement indicated that China would buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans in the final two months of 2025 and commit to annual purchases of at least 25 million metric tons from 2026 through 2028.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that most American soybeans are planted in May and June and harvested between September and October. Greer said farmers had expressed confusion about the timelines and stressed that the revised commitment now clearly aligns with the current crop cycle.
The announcement follows President Trump’s rollout of a $12 billion aid package to support farmers hit by the trade conflict, including $11 billion in direct payments. The USDA also confirmed a new shipment of U.S. soybeans headed to China, signaling a continued revival in trade activity after China halted purchases during the height of the U.S.–China trade war.
Since the leaders’ late-October meeting, China has renewed buying interest, conducting at least 10 separate rounds of soybean purchases. As of Tuesday, Chinese buyers had secured roughly 2.85 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans since October, with the USDA reporting an additional 132,000 metric tons booked for delivery.
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