Overview

• The Office of Management and Budget has readied roughly $12–13 billion in an internal USDA account, but officials have not decided how much will go to farm aid or when payments could start.
• The White House has discussed a $10–15 billion package to cushion growers hurt by tariffs and slumping exports, with soybean producers identified as the hardest hit.
• Directing tariff revenue to farmers would likely require congressional authority under Section 32, which faces strict limits on direct payments.
• Other funding routes, including the Commodity Credit Corporation, are constrained by statutory caps and prior draws, and Farm Service Agency offices that process payments are closed during the shutdown.
• Economists warn any payouts would be temporary relief as China’s purchases have collapsed and weak prices and high input costs continue to pressure farm finances.