Farmers and ranchers are cautiously optimistic about a trade agreement between the U.S. and China.
President Donald Trump says China will immediately start buying very large quantities of American agricultural products, even though the agreement won’t be signed for another three weeks.
Although the White House has not given specifics, the president says China will purchase between $40 and $50 billion worth of ag products. In the past, China topped out around $25 billion.
Several agriculture trade analysts are skeptical.
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines was in China in September working on the trade agreement.
Daines’ office released this statement about the China trade deal: “Steve is glad President Trump is working towards finalizing a deal with China, and looks forward to continuing to work to get this deal finalized.”
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester also weighed in. “It’s critical that we reach a full, comprehensive deal with China as soon as possible to end the pain this unnecessary trade war has caused Montana’s ag producers,” Tester said.