"Things like tariffs really affect our markets, and that's something we can't control ... We'd like to see free and open trade -- especially in agriculture," said Rick Kimberley, a fifth-generation farmer in Maxwell, Iowa.

by Yang Shilong, Li Xirui, Liu Yanan

MAXWELL, United States, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Located 35 km northeast of Des Moines, Iowa, the Kimberley family farm is a quintessential sight: towering grain bins, trucks bearing the family name, iconic green John Deere tractors, and a soybean and corn planter off to the side.

Iowa's fertile fields have not only nurtured crops tended by generations of Iowan farmers but have also cultivated more than 40 years of friendship and exchange between China and the United States. Few places reflect this better than the Kimberley farm.

For decades, the farm has fostered a deep connection with China. In Luanping County in northern Hebei Province, a China-U.S. Friendship Demonstration Farm -- modeled after the Kimberley farm -- stands as a testament to what can be achieved when farmers and policymakers from both nations come together.

"That helped build relationships and also allowed us to learn from each other about agriculture, best practices, sustainability," said Rick Kimberley, a fifth-generation farmer in Maxwell, Iowa.

However, farmers like Rick are facing mounting challenges amid recent market uncertainties caused by the Trump administration's renewed tariff battles against major trading partners.

"Some of those tariffs got surprisingly high," he said. "I think we all knew that wasn't going to be realistic or sustainable."

Farming, Rick explained, is a full-cycle endeavor that involves managing controllable factors, namely expenses, strategy and market trends, while coping with uncontrollable ones like weather, drought, tornadoes and tariffs. These variables often translate into rollercoaster commodity prices.

"Profit always feels tight," he said. "So we have to grow more bushels per acre to stay ahead."

The Kimberley farm follows a consistent annual rhythm: planting in April, harvesting in October, storing the grain, and starting deliveries in January. This year, the family planted 65 percent corn and 35 percent soybeans.

"There's always a discussion: do we plant more soybeans or more corn? This year, we shifted slightly more toward corn," he said.

"Things like tariffs really affect our markets, and that's something we can't control," Rick added.

The recent trade agreement reached between China and the United States on May 12 in Geneva, Switzerland, offered some relief to Rick.

"I'm really, really happy that we didn't let this drag on for months without talks. It was great to see both sides come together," he said. "We'd like to see free and open trade -- especially in agriculture."

Rick said farmers like him are willing to take the challenge, but they are "looking forward to a settlement between the two countries, hopefully before harvest."

His son, Grant Kimberley, who is preparing to take over the farm's leadership, echoes his father's sentiment. "There are always challenges in agriculture. It's been that way since the beginning of time. It's a tough business - hard work and hard labor. And there's a lot we can't control."

Grant also serves as senior director of market development at the Iowa Soybean Association. Over the past 17 years, he's visited China -- one of Iowa's largest soybean markets -- more than 25 times.

"I've learned a lot about the market there, the people, the culture. It's been a great experience," he said. "The U.S. soybean industry has many strong business relationships in China."

Grant has taken part in trade negotiations and cultural exchanges, viewing agriculture as a bridge between nations.

"I've met with Chinese officials, farmers and processors. What strikes me is how much we can learn from each other -- whether in sustainability, efficiency, or technology. Both sides have something to offer."

"We'd really like to see this resolved so we can all work together," he said. "Tariffs on food and agriculture ultimately hurt the people."

Grant hopes the recent signals of progress will encourage both nations to keep talking.

"It's important to find common ground -- solutions both sides can accept," he said, "A stable trading relationship benefits both countries. Agriculture can be the window for that conversation." ■