Fargo Standard

Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) has formally asked President Donald Trump to provide immediate financial support to North Dakota soybean farmers. The request comes as the state’s producers face significant losses due to ongoing trade tensions with China.

In a letter to President Trump, Fedorchak detailed the current situation for North Dakota farmers: “In the most recent crop year, North Dakota farmers planted more than 6.6 million acres of soybeans and harvested over 245 million bushels, with a gross value of nearly $2.4 billion at current market prices. As the westernmost soybean producing region in the Great Plains, North Dakota ships nearly two-thirds of its soybeans to China through Pacific Northwest ports. However, those sales have fallen to virtually zero as trade tensions have frozen shipments to our farmers’ largest customer.”

She noted that local soybean prices are now below $8.65 per bushel—about $2 less than what is needed for farmers to break even—resulting in significant financial strain for family farms. “Accounting for basis, local North Dakota soybean prices are at or below $8.65 per bushel, almost $2 less than farmers’ break-even price. In some cases, family farms are incurring losses that reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. These numbers represent more than balance-sheet stress; they threaten the survival of family farms that have been the backbone of North Dakota for generations,” Fedorchak wrote.

Fedorchak called on the administration to create a bridge payment program similar to 2019’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which previously provided direct payments to offset losses caused by international trade disputes.

“North Dakota farmers want robust markets, not government relief, and while I fully expect your negotiations to result in greater market access in the long-term, I urge you to consider immediate support for farmers who are suffering the consequences of China’s nefarious actions,” she stated.

Since February, when U.S.-China trade negotiations began, Fedorchak has met with officials from agencies such as the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and Department of Agriculture multiple times, advocating for both short-term aid and long-term solutions for producers.

She also criticized Argentina’s recent sale of soybeans to China during ongoing U.S.-China negotiations: “Argentina making a deal with China at the same time the U.S. provided financial assistance to stabilize their economy is a bitter pill for North Dakota soybean farmers to swallow,” said Fedorchak.

Beyond her call for immediate relief payments, Fedorchak outlined her broader agricultural agenda aimed at supporting producers by expanding domestic and international markets—including year-round E-15 sales and increased biofuel demand—reducing input costs, modernizing credit access tools for farm families, addressing land management issues via proposed legislation such as her Landowner Easement Rights Act, and working toward completion of the Farm Bill.

Fedorchak concluded her appeal by emphasizing shared priorities with President Trump: “In the long-term, I know we share the same objective: to make American agriculture more resilient and competitive. That is what our producers want. I stand ready to work with your administration to re-open international markets, expand domestic markets and processing opportunities, and deliver relief quickly and responsibly to the farmers who need it most. North Dakota’s farmers feed and fuel the world, and they deserve our full support against China’s actions.”