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At the Purfeerst farm in southern Minnesota, 100,000 bushels of soybeans—worth about $10 apiece—sit in bins with no clear buyer. A US–China trade war has halted Chinese purchases, which last year topped $12bn and represented about half of US exports. Donald Trump has floated payments to offset tariffs, but the plan is delayed by the government shutdown; he says a meeting with China’s president will put soybeans on the table, while the White House blames Democrats. With costs rising and prices volatile, farmers weigh storage risks and few outlets as officials and industry warn of crisis.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.