Key Takeaways:

The U.S.-China agreement lowers tariffs on several U.S. agricultural products, but the lack of additional soybean commitments or greater certainty surrounding China’s existing 25 MMT purchase pledge made the deal a slight disappointment. Lower tariffs on U.S. corn are unlikely to have much near-term impact because China is currently importing little corn and has made no commitment to increase U.S. purchases. Broader agricultural tariff reductions could help China fulfill its separate commitment to purchase at least $17 billion of U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028. A new U.S.-China agricultural working group creates a framework for addressing market-access and regulatory barriers, although its ultimate im...