By Blessing Nweke
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told senators Tuesday that China’s deadline to complete a major commitment to buy American soybeans has been extended from the end of 2025 to the end of the U.S. “growing season,” revealing an apparent discrepancy with previous White House statements.
The shift surfaced during Greer’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, when Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., pressed him to explain how the administration was monitoring China’s promised purchase of 12 million metric tons of soybeans. Fischer asked whether the target was still expected by the end of the calendar year. Greer responded, “It is for this growing season,” referring to the U.S. agricultural cycle, in which soybeans are typically planted in May and June and harvested in September and October.
Greer acknowledged confusion around the timeline, saying farmers had flagged the discrepancy. The administration had previously announced on Nov. 1—following a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping—that China would buy at least 12 million metric tons of soybeans during the final two months of 2025. That White House statement remained posted online as of Tuesday.
The November fact sheet also committed Beijing to purchasing at least 25 million metric tons annually from 2026 through 2028 as part of Trump’s broader economic agreement with China.
The timeline questions surfaced as the administration rolled out a $12 billion aid package for farmers, including $11 billion in direct payments, to bolster the agricultural sector. The move came as China continued ramping up soybean orders, resuming purchases after years of trade-war disruptions that had pushed many U.S. farmers to the brink of bankruptcy.
Since Trump’s late October meeting with Xi, China has placed at least 10 rounds of orders totaling about 2.85 million metric tons, according to government and industry data. The Agriculture Department reported Monday that private exporters booked an additional 132,000 metric tons for delivery to China.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also appeared to support the revised timeline last week, saying China was on pace to meet the 12-million-ton goal by Feb. 28.
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