The United States recently announced another $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports. It was a clear signal to China that our government is not backing down and that this trade war is far from over. The question at the top of farmers’ and ranchers’ minds now is whether our livelihoods will be the first casualties.

This trade war didn’t begin on the farm, but China has been quick to target U.S. agriculture. American farmers value the trade relationships we have built in this market, but we don’t take lightly having the bull’s-eye of retaliation aimed right at our farm gates.

Commodity and livestock prices are already taking a beating during what has become the worst farm economy since the Great Depression. Our crops were already in the ground and on the vine...