Analysts Question Lack of Clarity on U.S.–China Trade Deal as USDA Delays Crop Report
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While officials in Washington confirm that a U.S.–China trade deal is in place, analysts from the Bottom Line Report say the situation remains uncertain—largely because Beijing has yet to release any official statements confirming or clarifying the agreement.
“Everyone agrees we have a trade deal with China, but Bottom Line analysts say it’s somewhat concerning that the only specifics about the trade deal is coming from the White House, nothing from Beijing. Chinese trade authorities saying very little.”
So far, Chinese officials have neither disputed nor confirmed the details released by U.S. sources. More notably, China has not yet removed retaliatory tariffs, a critical step that would allow private crushers to resume large-scale U.S. soybean purchases. Without tariff relief, U.S. agricultural exporters remain cautious about projecting any immediate trade rebound.
At the same time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will delay the release of its November Crop Production Report and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) until November 14th. The delay comes amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has slowed several key reporting and data processes.
“USDA announced that it will release the November crop production report and the supply-demand balance sheet. They’ll delay, though, until November 14th.”
Meanwhile, private crop estimates continue to offer a snapshot of what this year’s harvest may look like. The latest projections from StoneX, released yesterday, raised U.S. corn production to 16.75 billion bushels and soybean production to 4.3 billion bushels. Those numbers suggest higher yields than earlier USDA estimates, pointing to continued strength in U.S. grain supply.
“Several private crop estimates have been released, the latest yesterday, StoneX, raising corn production to $16.75 billion and soybeans $4.3 billion.”
The Bottom Line Report also reminds growers that now is the time to prepare for spring planting. Ensuring a strong start for next year’s crop season begins with proper nutrient management and early growth support.
“Be sure your crop nutrition plan is ready to go next spring with Pro-Germinator from AgriLiquid, unique combination of nutrients that promotes exceptional growth early in the season. Learn more at agriliquid.com.”
As the agricultural sector awaits more definitive information from both Beijing and USDA, farmers are balancing optimism for higher yields with continued uncertainty surrounding trade policy and market access.
Audio Reporting by Mark Oppold for Southeast AgNet.