Michigan’s food and agriculture system has a $125.8 billion annual economic impact and supports about 805,000 jobs. A U.S.–China proposal could lower tariffs on some exports, but officials have yet to identify the products covered.
LANSING — Michigan farmers and food businesses could gain better access to China under a tariff proposal announced after President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Whether it produces more sales or jobs in Michigan will depend on details expected Monday.
The White House said Friday that the countries reached a consensus on recommendations for more favorable tariff treatment covering $30 billion in goods moving in each direction. Potential U.S. exports include agricultural goods, fish and seafood, logs and wood products, cosmetics and medical devices. The $30 billion is the value of goods under consideration, not the amount tariffs would fall.
The stakes extend well beyond individual farms. Michigan’s food and agriculture system has an estimated $125.8 billion annual economic impact and supports approximately 805,000 jobs, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Those are figures for the entire statewide system, including businesses beyond farming; they do not measure jobs or revenue tied to China.
Farm communities that could be watching the tariff details span the Lower Peninsula. The Thumb, central Michigan and the south contain some of the state’s largest concentrations of farmland. In the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Lenawee and Gratiot led Michigan counties in farmland acreage. Northern Michigan also has important fruit-growing areas, including its cherry-producing region.
China is already a market for Michigan producers. It bought $150 million in Michigan food, agriculture and forestry products in 2024, making it the state’s fifth largest destination for those exports. Michigan sold $2.9 billion in those products worldwide that year.
How much of that existing trade would benefit remains unknown. The White House has not published the individual products covered, the new tariff rates or their effective dates. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said more details are expected Monday, September 28. The $150 million Michigan export figure should therefore be read as the size of an existing market, not a projection of new sales.
Michigan agriculture officials have warned that tariffs and retaliation can disrupt export markets. The state reported that Michigan soybean meal exports fell 46 percent in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. That figure includes exports to all destinations; it does not isolate sales to China.
The two countries also launched a working group on barriers to agricultural trade. Separately, they extended their broader trade truce by two months, from November 10 to January 10, 2027, allowing more time to negotiate unresolved issues.
Michigan Auto Suppliers Still Await Answers
The summit left another Michigan economic concern unresolved. The White House said the countries continue to discuss shortages of rare earths and other critical minerals used in manufacturing, including vehicle supply chains. It announced no shipment target or timetable. Vehicles and auto parts were not among the U.S. export categories listed for the $30 billion tariff proposal.
Trump and Xi also agreed to establish a channel for communicating about artificial intelligence incidents and to hold talks on AI risks and benefits by November. The announcement set no new rules for Michigan AI companies.
For Michigan exporters, Monday’s product list is the next test. It should show whether the proposal covers goods they sell to China and give farm and food businesses a firmer basis for judging whether lower tariffs could lead to more orders and work in the state.
