Tennessee’s soybean industry is facing one of its toughest years in decades, with farmers bracing for nearly $110 million in projected losses, according to the University of Tennessee. Weighed down by inflation, weather extremes, and an ongoing trade dispute that has shut China out of the market, producers say they are in a “desperate situation.”
“None of the crops that farmers grow right now return a profit — they don’t even break even,” said Stefan Maupin, executive director of the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council. He warned that consecutive years of losses could push many family farms past the breaking point.
Soybeans are Tennessee’s top row crop, accounting for nearly $1 billion in receipts in 2023 and leading the state’s agricultural exports. But yields this year have been hammered by spring flooding followed by summer droughts, leaving many farmers harvesting closer to 30 bushels per acre, far below the break-even point of $11.72 per bushel. University of Tennessee estimates suggest losses of $84 per acre, meaning a farmer with 3,000 acres could lose a quarter-million dollars this season alone.
The financial crisis has been compounded by China’s boycott of U.S. soybeans amid tariff battles with the Trump administration. The American Soybean Association has warned the White House that growers “cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer,” urging a new agreement to secure exports.
Farmers like Lauderdale County’s Alan Meadows say higher equipment and input costs have only deepened the strain. “So much of what has happened and what’s going on here is totally out of our control,” he said. “We just want a free, fair and open market where we can sell our goods.”
Looking ahead to 2026, many farmers are uncertain if they will have the financial stability to plant another crop. Without a new Farm Bill to provide long-term safety nets, growers warn that younger producers, in particular, may not survive another year of losses.
Maupin noted that biofuel markets could offer some relief, but said federal action is needed to prevent widespread farm closures. “Farmers have done everything right,” he said. “But they cannot control the weather, the economy, or the markets.”
