Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr. testified during Wednesday’s U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee hearing. The hearing was held to discuss U.S.-China trade and competition.
In his testimony, Guebert explained the importance of trade to Illinois farmers, the impacts of the trade war and reasons for optimism.
In 2016, Illinois farmers exported $2.3 billion worth of soybeans almost exclusively to China. In the last four years, that number has steadily declined. In 2019, roughly $800 million of soybeans were exported from Illinois.