FARGO — As the Trump administration promises aid to soybean farmers, producers in North Dakota say they are fighting to survive.

Justin Sherlock, president of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, said China is their largest export customer, and all other markets combined don’t add up to what China buys in a given year.

He said farmers will need aid, but what they really want is to restore trade with China.

While it is too early to measure the full economic impact of the trade war, Sherlock said the situation is urgent.

“Farmers' survival is on the line right now. We’re really on the edge of a 1980s farm collapse here. This thing could go a very bad direction very quickly, if something doesn’t change soon,” Sherlock said.

President Donald Trump has said he will discuss soybean

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