CADIZ, Ky. – The U.S. soybean industry is working to meet growing global demand despite operating with less farmland and fewer farms. The American Soybean Association said China later began purchasing more American soybeans as prices rallied. Chinese officials have discussed removing the tariff, which Ragland said would make American soybeans more competitive with South American producers. "I mean, that's been a 10% tax that has made us uncompetitive when it comes to the cash price that the Chinese customers would pay for soybeans," Ragland said. Since the Soy Checkoff was established under the 1990 Farm Bill, annual American soybean production has increased from 2 billion bushels to about 4 billion bushels.