Written on: October 6, 2025
From the National Propane Gas Association Bobtail
As has been widely reported in the media, China, which was the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans in 2024, has not booked any soybean purchases from this fall’s harvest. Chinese importers have looked for alternative markets as the U.S. and China continue to engage in an ongoing trade and tariff war. The removal of the largest export market has depressed soybean prices.
For many farmers, the collapse in the price of a bushel of soybeans creates new financial incentives to store their harvest until commodity prices rebound and export markets are restored. However, you cannot store soybeans long-term if their moisture content is too high, as it will lead to spoilage and crop loss. Fortunately, propane grain dryers efficiently remove excess moisture and dry soybeans so they are safe to store for extended periods of time. This extra time gives farmers more options to determine when they should sell their soybeans – such as when access to traditional export markets has been restored.
The top five states for soybean production are: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. For more information, contact NPGA’s Senior Director of State Affairs, Jacob Peterson, at jpeterson@npga.org.
