US-China trade framework to remove tariffs, countermeasures affecting US ag exports

Following the initial announcement of a trade framework reached between the United States and China, the White House released more details on Nov. 1.

Part of the agreement includes progress on agricultural trade barriers imposed by China and suspension of port service fees that raise costs for US exporters.

China will suspend all its retaliatory tariffs that have been implemented since March 4, 2025. These include tariffs on several US agricultural products, such as chicken, pork, beef, wheat, corn, dairy products and others.

The framework also dictates a removal of all China’s retaliatory non-tariff countermeasures taken against the United States since March 4.

Additional details from the White House’s fact sheet can be found here.

Last week, corn and soybean producers welcomed the news of increased market access in Asia, as frameworks were also laid out with Thailand and Vietnam and reciprocal trade agreements reached with Malaysia and Cambodia.

“We appreciate President Trump’s recognition of the promise markets in Southeast Asia hold for US soybean exports, and we applaud the work of the administration to increase market access in that region,” said Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association and a Kentucky soybean farmer.

On Nov. 2, the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) likewise provided a statement on the trade developments, specifically the framework with China.

“USMEF is encouraged by the progress being made in trade negotiations with China, and we appreciate the Trump administration’s emphasis on restoring market access for US agricultural exports,” said Dan Halstrom, president and chief executive officer of USMEF. “If China follows through on its commitment to suspend all retaliatory tariffs announced since March 4, and to suspend or remove all retaliatory non-tariff countermeasures taken since that date, this puts US pork in a much more competitive position in the Chinese market. If the removal of non-tariff barriers means that China will promptly renew the US beef plant and cold storage registrations it has allowed to expire over the past nine months, this will restore access to a critical beef export market.”

As far back as February, hundreds of US beef plants have been ineligible to ship to China, awaiting for registration renewals that have yet to have happened.