Sumter County, SC (WLTX) - John Rivers raises his family on corn, soybeans and wheat, but the proposed 25 percent tariffs on US exports by the Chinese government could affect his livelihood and that of farmers just like him.
"I don't have any control over what they're doing, I just hope they're doing what's best for the country and I'll I can do is grow the best product I can," he said.
The latest numbers show that the U.S. exports 55.1 million metric tons of soybean around the globe - the overwhelming majority of which is produced in the Midwest and sent to China, but if states like Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois stop selling to the Chinese, Rivers expects they'll sell their product in our state forcing everyone's prices to drop dramatically.
"Say the people in the Midwest, they can't move it down the river and export it to China, then it is going to flood our market. It's going to flood the US market and it's not just an Ohio market or an Illinois market. It's not even a US market, it's a global market," he said.
While it's unclear when or if the tariffs will go into effect The American Soybean Association said it's, "calling on the White House to reconsider the tariffs that led to this retaliation."
And if the cost of business becomes too much, Rivers said he'll find something better to farm.
"Soybeans. If the price continues to drop on soybeans, we're going to look to an alternate crop. I'm not just a soybean farmer, I'm a farmer and I'll grow anything to make ends meet," he said.
According to the American Soybean Association, China purchases more that 30 percent of all US soybeans.