Full-Blown Crisis”: U.S. Farmers Reeling as China Cancels Orders Amid Trade War

U.S. farmers say the trade war fallout is no longer a looming threat, it’s a full-scale crisis. With China slashing imports of American pork, lumber, and seeds, canceled orders are piling up and layoffs are mounting across the agriculture sector.

“This isn’t nearing a crisis,” said Peter Friedmann of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. “It is a crisis.”

Just this week, China canceled 12,000 tons of U.S. pork, the biggest cut since 2020. Exporters report goods stalled in warehouses, stuck in transit, or headed for rejection at Chinese ports. One company has 9,000 metric tons at sea with no guarantee it will be accepted.

The Port of Oakland, a major hub for farm exports, warns the tariff squeeze could threaten jobs and local economies. “When China stops buying, the entire system feels it,” said Port Director Kristi McKenney.

With China once a top buyer of U.S. farm goods, producers say the damage is done, and Washington must act fast to prevent lasting collapse.