As tariffs bite the American heartland, US President Donald Trump announced a $12 billion aid package for farmers on Tuesday. The agricultural sector has been the hardest hit after deals fell apart due to his sweeping tariffs. US farmers struggled to sell crops and were also hit by higher costs. Soybean exports almost came to a standstill and are now moving at a snail’s pace until China resumed two shipments in October.
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Trump’s $12 Billion Aid Package a Short-Term Relief, Say US Farmers
The aid package unveiled by Trump comes with a base support that includes as much as $11 billion in one-time payments to US farmers. The relief package will reach crop farmers who have been hit hard by his tariff regime and low harvest prices.
However, US farmers are unhappy with Trump’s $12 billion aid package and voiced their skepticism. They called it a temporary relief and acts like a band-aid when hurt, and does not provide a long-term solution. “This is kind of a Band-Aid — we need more markets more than we need aid,” said Missouri farmer Marty Richardson.
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Richardson said that 2026 would also have no buyers for their crops and would be as bad as this year. “We’re already buying seed for next year and fertilizer, and we’re behind the eight ball,” he said. Some US farmers, who are long-time supporters of Trump, said they are optimistic for a turnaround soon.
However, Barry Evans, a US farmer from Texas who grows sorghum, cotton, and wheat, said that Trump’s aid package comes as a relief. “Definitely need this relief,” he said. “Cotton and wheat all depend on export markets, and they are in the tank right now. So our prices are getting horribly low, and our inputs are way up, so you just add that altogether and it’s causing a lot of pain,” he said.
