President Donald Trump on Monday introduced a $12 billion relief package aimed at helping farmers who have been squeezed by the long-running trade dispute with China and by rising production costs.
Trump rolled out the plan during a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, members of Congress, and farmers representing a wide range of crops.
Trump said the money, which comes from tariff revenue, is meant to give producers some stability as they wrap up this year’s harvest and prepare for the next one. Rollins added that $11 billion will be released immediately, with another $1 billion reserved for specialty crops.
A large share of the funding will be distributed through the USDA’s Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, which will offer one-time payments for major row crops. Producers of soybeans and sorghum have faced the steepest losses, since China is typically the top buyer of both crops and has scaled back purchases during the trade fight.
Farm groups say the new support is helpful but warn it doesn’t solve the bigger problems of high costs and unpredictable markets. Smaller and younger farmers—especially those who rent most of their land—are under the most financial pressure.
Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt said he’s cutting back by selling equipment he doesn’t absolutely need and considering some overnight trucking shifts to help cover his bills. “I don’t want to hand this level of stress to my kid,” he said.
Meanwhile, the administration is also responding to public frustration over record beef prices. Over the weekend, Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to review possible anti-competitive practices in the food and farm supply chain, including seed, fertilizer, equipment, and meatpacking.
