MINNESOTA, USA — Minnesota soybean farmers are heading into harvest season with one of their biggest buyers boycotting their crop. While growing conditions have been favorable this year, the state’s largest agricultural export is caught in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war.

China is historically the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans, but the country has now turned instead to South America. In fact, China has not bought U.S. soybeans since late May.

According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen, the loss of China’s market has left farmers scrambling to sell their crop elsewhere.

“On a given year, 30% of our soybean crop can be exported, with China being our biggest buyer,” Petersen said. “When they’re not buying, we’ve got to look at other smaller mark

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