It’s been a tough year for farmers.

Rising input costs and high interest rates have led to a spike in ag loan defaults this year. At the same time, China has boycotted American soybeans in retaliation for the tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed, leading to a soybean glut and pushing down crop prices.

But two new developments Wednesday provided some glimmers of hope.

China signals return to American soybean markets?

A Chinese state-owned company has ordered three U.S. soybean cargoes, Reuters reports. It’s the first purchase from this year’s harvest.

It’s a signal of good faith ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with President Trump, said Dan Glessing, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau.

“But as a reminder,” Glessing added, “this is kind of just the start of th

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