DES MOINES, IA — Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the White House, Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) is urging President Trump to use the meeting to hold Beijing accountable to its commitments to Iowa farmers and American workers and secure enforceable trade agreements that protect U.S. economic and national security interests.
“President Trump has leverage going into this meeting, and he should use it to demand real results for Iowa farmers and American workers,” said Rep. Nunn. “Beijing has a long record of making promises and failing to deliver on them. I pushed the Administration to secure China’s commitment to reopen its market to American soybeans earlier this year, and that was an important win for Iowa farmers. But it’s clear we can’t take Beijing at its word. Any new trade agreement must be enforceable and open markets for American products without giving China more leverage over our farmers, manufacturers, or national security.”
Rep. Nunn has one of the strongest records in Congress on holding China accountable, with efforts spanning across Iowa agriculture, economic security, and national defense:
Securing Fertilizer and Soybean Markets for Iowa Producers
- Worked with the Administration to secure potash and phosphate, two essential fertilizer inputs, on the U.S. Critical Minerals List, opening the door to greater domestic production of American-made fertilizer.
- Led a bipartisan effort urging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to strengthen America’s fertilizer supply chain and ensure Iowa farmers are not forced to compete with China for American-made inputs.
- Pushed the administration, alongside Senator Joni Ernst, to restore access to China’s soybean market after Beijing halted purchases of American soybeans, helping secure a commitment for China to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S.-grown soybeans annually through 2028.
Protecting Iowa Farmland and America’s Food Supply
- Passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 through the House with language to block foreign adversaries like China from buying American farmland.
- Helped lead the Protecting U.S. Farmland and Sensitive Sites From Foreign Adversaries Act to strengthen national security review of foreign adversary purchases of agricultural land and property near sensitive military sites.
- Introduced the bipartisan PLANT Act to crack down on agroterrorism after Chinese nationals were charged with smuggling crop-destroying pathogens into the United States, with up to 20 years in prison for those acting on behalf of a foreign government.
Countering Beijing’s Economic and Military Threats
- Led the Neutralizing Unfair Chinese Export Subsidies Act to address state-backed Chinese export financing that can disadvantage Iowa manufacturers and American exporters.
- Helped lead the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act, which passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, to sanction Chinese fentanyl producers.
- Secured provisions in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 to establish a U.S.–Taiwan Defense Technology Strategic Partnership, advance joint U.S.–Taiwan drone development, and strengthen protections against Chinese-backed technology in U.S. defense systems.
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