Political and rural tensions erupted this week after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent received a pointed text message criticizing the Biden administration's support for Argentina. The message, received during the 80th U.N. General Assembly, accused Buenos Aires of undercutting American soybean producers by slashing export taxes just days after securing a $20 billion U.S.-backed bailout.

The text read: "Yesterday we bailed out Argentina and, in return, they eliminated tariffs on grain exports, lowering their prices and selling large volumes of soy to China-during a time when we would normally supply them. Soy prices are falling. This gives China more leverage over us." The message echoed a viral post from U.S. grain trader Ben Scholl.

While the sender remains officially unidentified, the initials "BR" appeared on Bessent's phone screen-sparking speculation that Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, may have been the source. The sender also urged Bessent, who played a key role in the Argentina negotiations, to follow up with a call.

The controversy intensified when President Javier Milei of Argentina removed soybean export tariffs for just three days, allowing a rush of sales to China that reportedly hit a revenue cap of $7 billion. Though temporary, the move was seen as a strategic play that cost U.S. farmers dearly.

Argentina is the third-largest soybean producer globally, after Brazil and the U.S., and its swift action captured a window of opportunity during the U.S. harvest season. As a result, China is believed to have purchased 650,000 to 975,000 metric tons of soybeans-between 10 and 15 vessels-from Argentina.

U.S. producers, already strained by years of trade disruptions and declining Chinese demand, reacted sharply.

"Soybean prices are falling; harvest is underway; and farmers are reading headlines about Argentina getting $20 billion in economic support-not about us securing a deal with China," said Caleb Ragland, president of a national farm organization, in an op-ed published by The New York Times.

Since former President Trump imposed tariffs on China, U.S. soybean shipments to China have slowed dramatically, including a complete stop during last fall's harvest. Meanwhile, farm groups like the American Soybean Association have lobbied for financial relief, which they argue has been delayed in favor of geopolitical gestures.

"This tax relief from Argentina may have been short-lived," one Midwest co-op leader noted, "but the damage to our margins is lasting."

Bessent, seeking to manage fallout, later posted on social media that the U.S. is working with Milei's administration to "end tax exemptions for commodity exporters who convert foreign currency." That comment triggered a separate wave of concern in Argentina, where Milei's market-liberal reforms have drawn both praise and backlash.

The cross-border tensions underscore how international farm policy and financial diplomacy are deeply intertwined. With the U.S. farm sector heading into peak harvest and global trade flows shifting fast, many producers feel Washington is prioritizing foreign allies over domestic rural stability.