Soybean growers find some optimism during harvest

FARGO — Soybean growers are finding some optimism during harvest. Despite drought conditions, some are seeing better yields than expected. Last year was a tough year for exporting soybeans. But now, they're seeing growth from American customers. As of Monday, Oct. 12, soybeans are priced just shy of $13 a bushel. Last October, it was just over $10 a bushel. That rise is making a huge difference for farmers. "Well, for soybeans, we're feeling much more comfortable today than we were this time last year," said Frayne Olson, a crops economist with North Dakota State University Extension. One driver of the increase is China. China is the largest soybean market in the world and is the top importer of American and Brazilian soybeans. In a typical year, China buys 25 million metric tons of American soybeans, but last year, escalating trade tensions and retaliatory tariffs led China to back off or stop buying U.S. soybeans. "Last year they were down significa