U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Representative David Rouzer (R-N.C.-07) have led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in sending a letter to President Trump, asking him to make American flue-cured tobacco a priority in upcoming trade negotiations with China. The request comes ahead of the president’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The letter addresses several issues affecting U.S. tobacco farmers, including concerns about future tariff relief programs and the impact of foreign-grown tobacco on domestic markets.
In their message, the legislators wrote: “American flue-cured tobacco is world-renowned for its high quality, traceability, and compliant production. Foreign countries are willing to pay a premium for tobacco grown in the U.S. due to its superior quality, which is why growers have relied heavily on access to export markets since before the Revolutionary War. China serves as the single largest buyer—purchasing 60–65 million pounds of green tobacco annually.
“Farmers were recently informed that China will not purchase flue-cured tobacco from the 2025 crop, a decision made by the Chinese Communist Party to gain leverage in ongoing trade negotiations with the United States.
“…However, these farmers cannot survive without fair access to global markets and equal support from the U.S. government as other major crops receive. As you prepare to meet with President Xi Jinping, we urge you to elevate the priorities of American tobacco farmers and ensure our tobacco farm families receive fair treatment in trade negotiations, just as you did during your first term and have promised to continue to do for all of American agriculture.”
Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also signed onto the letter along with several members of Congress from North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina.
China is currently the main international buyer of American flue-cured tobacco but has decided not to purchase any from the 2025 crop as part of its approach in ongoing trade discussions with the United States. This move affects approximately 65 million pounds of U.S.-grown tobacco and could result in a loss of $220 million in export value for American farmers.
North Carolina plays a significant role in this industry by producing about 260 million pounds of tobacco each year—nearly 60 percent of total U.S. production—and exported $5.9 billion worth into China during 2024.
