Trump Unveils $12B Farm Aid Amid China Tariffs/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump is proposing a $12 billion aid package to support U.S. farmers impacted by trade tensions with China and rising input costs. The funds will provide one-time payments for row crop producers and help stabilize markets disrupted by tariffs and inflation. The move comes as the administration faces pressure over food prices and lagging Chinese soybean purchases.
Trump Farm Aid Proposal Quick Looks
- $12 billion in total aid to support U.S. farmers
- One-time payments through the Farmer Bridge Assistance program
- Focus on row crops: soybeans, corn, cotton, wheat, sorghum
- China trade war and inflation cited as key reasons
- White House official: Trump to announce plan Monday
- China has bought only 25% of promised soybeans
- Farmers face higher costs, lower exports due to tariffs
- Trump: Food affordability concerns are a Democratic “hoax”
- DOJ, FTC ordered to review food industry competition
- Follows $22B (2019) and $46B (2020) in prior farm aid
Deep Look: Trump Proposes $12 Billion in Farm Aid Amid Trade Pressures, Rising Costs
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is preparing to unveil a $12 billion aid package aimed at supporting American farmers caught in the crosshairs of the ongoing trade war with China and surging production costs, a White House official confirmed Monday.
The proposal, set to be announced at a roundtable discussion featuring Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers, and representatives from the farming community, will focus heavily on economic relief for producers of corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, cattle, potatoes, and sorghum.
The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, a key part of the package, will allocate roughly $11 billion in one-time payments for growers of major row crops. According to the White House, these payments are designed to help stabilize a sector rocked by fluctuating tariffs, market uncertainty, and reduced export demand.
“Farmers have been patient, but the delays and losses from tariffs and inflation are real,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “This program is about helping them bridge that gap.”
The remaining $1 billion will support farmers producing crops not covered under the main program and assist in marketing the current harvest and planning for the next growing season.
Soybean Exports Lag Behind Promises
One of the most affected sectors is the soybean industry, where more than half of the U.S. crop is exported annually — historically, the majority going to China. But the trade war initiated under Trump’s first term, and continued into his current administration, has led to a sharp decline in Chinese purchases.
While Chinese officials promised to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans by the end of 2025 and 25 million per year for the next three years, only 2.8 million metric tons have been delivered since the agreement was announced in late October. Treasury Secretary Bessent, however, said he believes China will meet its target by the end of February.
“These prices haven’t come in because the Chinese used our soybean farmers as leverage in trade talks,” Bessent said during an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation. “This bridge payment will provide relief while we wait for markets to recover.”
Political, Economic Pressures Mount
While many farmers remain loyal to Trump, concerns have grown in rural America over the lack of market stability, especially as input costs — from fertilizer to equipment — continue to rise. Critics say the administration’s trade policy, while aimed at confronting China’s economic influence, has left domestic producers financially exposed.
Trump has also drawn scrutiny for dismissing inflation concerns, calling them a Democratic “hoax”, even as beef prices hit record highs and broader food costs continue to climb.
In response to these challenges, Trump signed an executive order Saturday directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to investigate potential anti-competitive behavior in the food supply chain, from seed and fertilizer producers to equipment manufacturers. The order allows for possible enforcement action or new regulatory proposals.
Looking Back: Previous Farm Relief Efforts
Trump’s latest aid package follows similar efforts from his first term. In 2019, the administration authorized $22 billion in relief tied to the trade dispute with China. In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and continued economic strain, that figure surged to nearly $46 billion — the largest single-year support program for farmers in U.S. history.
This time, the focus is again on delivering a message of economic stability and support to one of Trump’s most dependable voter bases.
“We want farmers to have certainty,” the White House official said. “They need to know they’re not alone in this.”
Trump’s farm aid plan is expected to be a central talking point in upcoming visits to key agricultural states, where farmers will be watching closely to see how — and when — the funds are distributed.
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