A trade official with China’s Agriculture Ministry recently said it may be necessary for them to introduce anti dumping tariffs and other measures to curb soybean imports in order to protect their domestic production. Nebraska farmer Jim Miller of Belden serves as U.S. Soybean Export Council Chairman. He says whether or not that will happen is still a concern due to the value of that market for the U.S.

He says any protectionist move by the Chinese could backfire on them by increasing costs for their own consumers.

Miller says this latest report seems a bit strange given the fact the Chinese are continuing to purchase U.S. soybeans and soybean meal.

Chinese trade officials have long talked about protecting their agricultural industries, both to ensure food security and to alleviate poverty, which is most prominent in China’s rural areas.