President Donald Trump and White House officials insist that China will be buying $40 billion to 50 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products annually over the next couple of years, if the countries nail down a trade deal in the coming weeks, but the question is whether U.S. farmers, processors and exporters could meet that challenge.

The soybean industry is looking to band together with the livestock and poultry sectors in a new effort to promote U.S. protein overseas.

President Donald Trump’s claim that China is willing to address “agricultural structural issues” in a trade deal has the U.S. ag sector excited that real change may be coming to the U.S-China trading relationship beyond just increased commodity sales.

Farmers were hoping for a speedy resolution to the U.S.-China trade war, but the lack of such a resolution has sent them scrambling to come up with a new home for exports once gobbled up by China.

As much as growers long for an end to the trade war with China, there are long-term threats to demand for corn, soybeans and other crops that could depress commodity prices for years to come and lead to calls for higher government spending, economists say.

The next round of high-level U.S.-China trade talks are on schedule for next month despite the White House axing Chinese plans for a key official to tour U.S. farms and processing facilities this week.

China’s latest promise to reduce tariffs on U.S. soybeans and pork is being lauded as an olive branch ahead of new trade talks early next month, but China also needs more of the commodities to feed its people, according to industry and government analysts.