# Chinese pigs fed new menu as Beijing weans farmers off US soy | Reuters

> China's two largest dairy producers, Yili and Mengniu, have reportedly cut soymeal in cattle feed by 20% under government direction. Beijing is also promoting domestic alternatives to US soybeans as a national security priority, and farmers are adopting the change to cut costs.

- Date: 2026-04-07 · published 2026-04-07T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: trade · region China · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/14583-chinese-pigs-fed-new-menu-as-beijing-weans-farmers-off-us-soy-reuters
- Commodities: [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md)

## Why it matters

Lower soymeal inclusion in Chinese feed reduces import demand for soybeans and soybean meal, which is bearish for US and Brazilian soy complex prices. The shift could persist beyond the current trade dispute.

## Read by commodity

- SBM: bearish ▼
- SOY: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SOY | 2018-04-13 | [China traders, farmers shrug off risk of US soybeans tariff \| AP News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65373-china-traders-farmers-shrug-off-risk-of-us-soybeans-tariff-ap-news.md) | -2.2% | -4.5% |
| SOY | 2019-08-08 | [US-China trade war: Soybean farmers are working new markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57614-us-china-trade-war-soybean-farmers-are-working-new-markets.md) | +1.4% | +0.1% |
| SOY | 2025-09-23 | [Exclusive: China buys Argentine soybeans after tax drop, leaving US farmers sidelined \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13832-exclusive-china-buys-argentine-soybeans-after-tax-drop-leaving-us-farmers.md) | -0.0% | +2.1% |
| SOY | 2025-10-03 | [US soybean farmers, deserted by big buyer China, scramble for other importers \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22449-us-soybean-farmers-deserted-by-big-buyer-china-scramble-for-other-importers.md) | -0.1% | +6.6% |
| SOY | 2019-01-07 | [U.S. farmers fret as Chinese soy purchases move elsewhere \| Farmtario](https://feedsoft.ai/events/60936-u-s-farmers-fret-as-chinese-soy-purchases-move-elsewhere-farmtario.md) | -1.1% | +1.0% |
| SBM | 2018-04-13 | [China traders, farmers shrug off risk of US soybeans tariff \| AP News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65373-china-traders-farmers-shrug-off-risk-of-us-soybeans-tariff-ap-news.md) | -2.6% | +1.9% |
| SBM | 2019-08-08 | [US-China trade war: Soybean farmers are working new markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57614-us-china-trade-war-soybean-farmers-are-working-new-markets.md) | 0.0% | -1.5% |
| SBM | 2025-10-03 | [US soybean farmers, deserted by big buyer China, scramble for other importers \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22449-us-soybean-farmers-deserted-by-big-buyer-china-scramble-for-other-importers.md) | -0.0% | +16.9% |

## Sources

- reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-pigs-fed-new-menu-beijing-weans-farmers-off-us-soy-2026-04-07/

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.