White House Plans $12B Aid Package for Farmers

The Trump administration will deliver $12 billion in aid to farmers who’ve been hit by dropping prices for crops and livestock amid a burgeoning trade war in which agriculture is a main target for retaliation against U.S. tariffs, reportsBloomberg.

The assistance will be a mix of direct payments to farmers, commodity purchases for food-aid programs, and stepped up promotion of new U.S. export markets, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told reporters on Tuesday.

Boomberg says farm goods covered would range from major commodities such as soybeans, wheat and milk to legumes and nuts, depending on the program. Farmer signups will begin later this year, after the fall harvest, the USDA said.