Overview
- About $11 billion will be issued as one‑time payments through the Farmer Bridge Assistance program, with roughly $1 billion set aside for crops not covered by the new scheme.
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said funds are expected to be disbursed by February 28, 2026, following a rollout delayed by a 43‑day federal shutdown.
- The plan was announced at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary Rollins, lawmakers, and farmers from major crop and livestock sectors.
- Officials present the package as a temporary bridge for producers facing weak prices and higher costs, with Trump saying tariff revenues make the funding possible.
- China’s confirmed U.S. soybean purchases remain far below an earlier 12‑million‑ton pledge, and some outlets report the program may still need congressional approval, drawing political criticism including from California Governor Gavin Newsom.