Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products excluding soybeans are on track to reach a seven-year low, despite the White House saying Beijing agreed in May to buy $17 billion of U.S. farm goods annually from 2026, with a prorated target for this year. China bought $7.2 billion of those products between January and September, the lowest total for that period since 2019, while remaining on track to meet its separate soybean commitment. Compliance is unclear because the White House has not said whether the purchase clock began with the May announcement or will start after China finalizes proposed tariff cuts. Weak Chinese demand, global competition and regulatory restrictions are making the non-soybean target difficult to reach without state-directed purchases. U.S. corn faces ample Chinese domestic supply, sorghum is competing with expanding Brazilian shipments, and meat demand is constrained by domestic oversupply, high beef prices and export barriers. The slow pace is adding pressure on U.S. farmers and becoming an issue in Democratic efforts to attract heartland voters away from President Donald Trump’s Republican party before Tuesday’s midterm elections.