Trump administration has made $15 billion in promises to farmers
FILE-President Donald Trump makes an announcement on measures to help farmers and ranchers with meat processing on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Annabelle Gordon/Pool/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The Trump administration has made $15 billion worth of promises to agriculture producers in the last few weeks before the midterm elections.
These initiatives by the administration were intended to help counteract soaring costs for diesel and fertilizer that farmers have experienced, mainly because of tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran.
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Trump administration’s pledges to farmers
By the numbers:
In addition to the over $15 billion worth of payments and initiatives announced by the Department of Agriculture, the federal agency plans $13.8 billion in safety net program payments for eligible producers for the 2025 crop year, neutralizing deficits for farmers who harvest crops like corn, soybeans, wheat and rice.
According to The Associated Press, of the $15 billion, over half will be allocated to an $8 billion one-time payment plan for farmers hit by soaring diesel prices.
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The United States Department of Agriculture stated in a release that it will release more details about the payments in November. The AP noted that it’s unclear when the payments will be distributed to farmers, who rely on diesel for trucks, tractors and combines.
Roughly $5 billion was announced in guaranteed loans for ranchers and fishermen. The AP reported that an extra $1.8 billion in payments is for producers and landowners who participated in conservation programs, $573 million is being allotted to fertilizer manufacturing projects and $57 million is for enhancing meat processors. For specialty crop producers, $86.6 million in grants will be awarded to innovative projects.
Moreover, the USDA said it would buy up to $472.5 million in agricultural commodities to help producers and give to charitable programs.
The AP reported that the money will come from the USDA and doesn’t need immediate congressional approval. The federal agency also announced other efforts, like expanding sales of a diesel normally used only for off-road use, assisting ranchers by making cattle sale data more transparent and strengthening wolf management policies to protect livestock.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, which cites comments from the United States Department of Agriculture. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.