Overview
- President Trump announced the Farmer Bridge Assistance program totaling $12 billion, with $11 billion for row crops and $1 billion for select specialty crops, with payments targeted to begin by February 28.
- USDA will set per‑acre payments, cap assistance at $155,000 per recipient, and restrict eligibility to farms with less than $900,000 in annual income, with the White House saying tariff revenues will fund the program.
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s claim that China did not buy U.S. soybeans under Biden was contradicted by USDA/FAS data and independent analyses showing China was a top buyer from 2015–2024.
- Farm groups welcomed near‑term relief but warned it is a stopgap, urging Congress to address structural issues such as volatile markets, consolidation, rising input costs, and subsidy design.
- Republican lawmakers pressed for additional targeted help, including tariff relief on farm machinery parts and support for equipment makers, as Trump signaled interest in easing certain regulations to lower equipment costs.