South Dakota U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader John Thune says because profit margins for many row crop farmers have shrunk to little or nothing, the U.S. must fight back against foreign tariffs and other trade barriers to open more markets for American ag products. https://media-cdn.socastsrm .com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2025/12/margins1.mp3 “The margins in agriculture are gone. And I say that for corn and soybeans, other commodities.” Thune conceded that the president’s tariffs have played a role, but also says those tariffs are needed to open markets in China and elsewhere. He says foreign tariffs and non-tariff barriers have kept U.S. producers out of those markets for too long and that’s led to historic agriculture trade deficits. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2025/12/margins2.mp3 “And I think the administration’s trying to respond to that and ensure that farmers get to a time when we have the market is opening up again. China’s opening up again.” China’s still short of its soybean purchase deal with President Trump, booking a reported 7 million tons of the 12 million tons it’s committed to buying by year’s end. ...read more read less