President Donald Trump on Monday announced a $12 billion aid package aimed at supporting American farmers facing economic pressures.
Eko Hot News reports that the bulk of the funding $11 billion, will go to crop farmers through one-time payments under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Programme, according to a White House official. The remaining amount will support producers whose crops fall outside the programme’s coverage.
Speaking at a White House roundtable, Trump said the intervention was made possible through revenue from tariffs. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent backed the president’s position, emphasising his commitment to stabilising the farm economy.
Rollins stated that payments would begin flowing to farmers by February 28, 2026. She added that $1 billion would be held in reserve to ensure adequate support for speciality crops.
Bloomberg first reported details of the aid plan last week. Rollins had hinted at the upcoming bridge payments during a recent Cabinet meeting.
At that meeting, Rollins argued that farmers’ current economic strain stemmed from Biden-era policies rather than the impact of Trump’s tariffs. She credited Trump’s trade negotiations for widening market access for American agricultural goods.
Rollins said Trump’s efforts had shifted farmers away from reliance on government assistance and toward global competitiveness. However, she acknowledged that the sector remained in a recovery phase and still required temporary federal support.
Some farmers have historically been cautious about federal aid. Mark Read of the Illinois Soybean Association previously told CNN that producers preferred “free trade” to “free aid,” before China resumed soybean purchases from the U.S. following the trade war.
In September, Rollins described the farm economy, particularly row crop producers, as being in a period of “significant challenge.” She noted that tariff adjustments had contributed to a time of uncertainty, though she said the administration was working toward what Trump has called a “golden age” for rural America.
