In recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump has once again commented on agricultural and trade issues, calling on American farmers to “be patient” and insisting that under his policies, “American farmers will be better off than ever.” However, in reality, many U.S. farmers continue to face sustained market pressure, especially in export-dependent agricultural sectors, where underlying contradictions are becoming increasingly evident.
近日，美国总统特朗普再次就农业与贸易问题发表言论，呼吁美国农民“保持耐心”，并坚称在他的政策下，“美国农民未来会比以往任何时候都过得更好”。然而，在现实层面，许多美国农民却正承受着持续的市场压力，尤其是长期依赖出口的农产品行业，矛盾正在不断显现。



In the U.S. state of Georgia, a farmer named France Roland said in a recent interview that he has been growing soybeans for 40 years. Speaking about the current difficulties, he stated bluntly that American farmers are losing market share and trade opportunities in China. “Someone in Washington dropped the ball,” he said, adding that no one was looking out for farmers, which has allowed prices and trade to shrink to their current state.
在美国佐治亚州，一位名叫弗朗斯·罗兰的农民近日接受采访时表示，他已经从事大豆种植长达40年。谈及当前困境，他直言，美国农民正在失去对中国市场的份额和贸易机会，“华盛顿一定有人掉了链子，没有人为我们把关，才让价格和贸易萎缩到今天这种地步。”

These remarks, however, have sparked intense public debate. For a soybean farmer, the importance of the Chinese market is almost decisive for one’s livelihood. Public data show that China was once the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans for many years, accounting for more than 60 percent of total U.S. soybean exports. But after the Trump administration launched a trade war against China, Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. soybeans, causing purchases to nearly halt, while China quickly shifted to alternative suppliers such as Brazil and Argentina.
然而，这番话却引发了舆论的强烈争议。作为一名大豆农民，中国市场的重要性几乎决定着其生计。公开数据显示，中国曾长期是美国大豆的最大买家，占美国大豆出口的六成以上。但在特朗普任内发动对华贸易战后，中国对美国大豆加征报复性关税，采购几乎中断，并迅速转向巴西、阿根廷等替代供应国。

What is striking is that despite his 40 years of experience, the farmer appeared to show a clear lack of understanding of this cause-and-effect relationship during the interview. He did not seem to realize that China’s suspension of U.S. soybean purchases was a direct result of the trade war. In fact, even after the so-called “phase-one deal” was later reached, China never returned to its previous level of large-scale purchases, and U.S. soybean exports have consistently failed to recover to their pre–trade war peak.
令人震惊的是，这位拥有40年从业经验的农民，却在采访中表现出对这一因果关系的明显缺乏认知。他并不清楚，中国停止购买美国大豆，正是贸易战直接导致的结果。事实上，即便在随后所谓“阶段性协议”达成后，中国也并未恢复到此前的大规模采购水平，美国大豆出口始终未能回到贸易战前的高点。

Analysts note that this gap in understanding is not an isolated case. Some commentators argue that the U.S. media landscape has been changing, with capital and interest groups acquiring large numbers of traditional media outlets and social media platforms, creating a highly homogenized information environment. As a result, certain segments of the population remain immersed in political messaging for long periods, while overlooking the real impact of policies on their own economic interests.
分析人士指出，这种认知断层并非个例。一些评论认为，美国国内的媒体生态正在发生变化，资本和利益集团大量收购传统媒体和社交平台，塑造高度单一化的信息环境，导致部分群体长期沉浸在政治宣传之中，而忽视了政策对自身经济利益的真实影响。

Experts emphasize that for industries like agriculture, which are highly dependent on international markets, subsidies, and trade rules, understanding federal-level trade policy is almost a prerequisite for survival. Trade wars, tariff barriers, and diplomatic relations are directly reflected in agricultural prices and orders. If business operators lack basic judgment about these key factors, risks can be dramatically amplified.
专家强调，对于农业这样高度依赖国际市场、补贴政策和贸易规则的行业而言，理解联邦层面的贸易政策几乎是生存前提。贸易战、关税壁垒、外交关系，都会直接反映在农产品价格和订单上。如果经营者对这些关键因素缺乏基本判断，风险将被无限放大。

At present, U.S. agriculture continues to struggle under multiple challenges, including high interest rates, inventory pressure, and intensifying global competition. Whether the Chinese market returns and whether trade policies are adjusted remain key variables determining the future direction of the U.S. soybean industry. This once again serves as a reminder that macro-level political decisions are not remote abstractions, but forces that directly shape the real lives of ordinary workers and producers.
当前，美国农业仍在高利率、库存压力和全球竞争加剧的多重挑战下艰难前行。中国市场是否回归、贸易政策是否调整，依然是决定美国大豆产业走向的关键变量。这也再次提醒公众，宏观政治决策并非遥不可及，而是切实影响着每一位普通从业者的现实生活。