China’s Commerce Ministry said Sunday that it initiated an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation after preliminarily finding that heavy volumes and low prices of American exports of sorghum, bolstered by U.S. government subsidies, hurt Chinese growers.

In announcing the action, the Commerce Ministry didn’t mention the Trump administration’s recent ruling to place tariffs on imports of Chinese solar panels. Chinese officials have told representatives of U.S. businesses that Beijing is preparing tit-for-tat measures to retaliate if trade is affected by President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.

The U.S. is also in the midst of studies and processes that would impose penalties involving China on intellectual property and trade in steel and aluminum.

U.S. agricultural goods are a likely target on Beijing’s list since farm states are seen as part of Mr. Trump’s political base, according to U.S. officials and business executives. China has emerged as a prime market for American sorghum, with growers exporting more than 27 million tons since 2013, according to National Sorghum Producers.

The Commerce Ministry statement said that it initiated the investigation into U.S. sorghum imports because Chinese growers tend to be numerous and small-scale, making it difficult for them to provide documentation.