Topline
President Donald Trump plans to announce a $12 billion aid package for farmers, according to multiple reports, offering much-needed financial assistance from a core constituency hit hard by the administration’s tariff policy.
Up to $11 billion of the funds will be reserved for farmers of row crops, including soybeans, who were hit hard during a tariff dispute earlier this year.
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Key Facts
Up to $11 billion of the aid package will be allotted for an assistance program for farmers producing row crops, such as corn, wheat and soybeans, through a Farmer Bridge Assistance program, Bloomberg reported citing officials familiar with the plans.
The other $1 billion will be reserved for farmers of other crops, such as fruit, vegetables and specialty crops, Politico reported.
The funds will be authorized by the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, Bloomberg reported, and will not require the administration to seek congressional approval to use tariff revenue to fund the bailout.
Trump will announce the aid package at a round table with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and members of Congress, according to the reports.
Key Background
Earlier this year, soybean farmers bore the brunt of Trump’s tariff policy when China abruptly slashed their U.S. soybean purchases to zero as the two countries struggled to resolve a trade dispute over rare earth minerals. China was previously the largest single purchaser of American soybeans, and purchased about half of the U.S.’ $24.5 billion soybean crop in 2024. The Trump administration has been weighing options to address the crisis since the trade dispute began, including a reported plan to use tariff revenue for a slightly smaller bailout. China began importing American soybeans again in October ahead of a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. After Trump struck a deal with Xi Jinping later the same month, the president claimed China would resume purchasing “massive amounts” of soybeans and other crops. Although the Trump administration said China would buy 12 million tons of soybeans before the end of the year, the country has not come close to meeting that mark as of late November, Reuters reported.
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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2025/12/08/trump-planning-12-billion-aid-package-for-farmers-heres-what-we-know/
