Washington, 9 December (H.S.): US President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled a sweeping $12 billion agricultural support package aimed at rescuing American farmers grappling with low crop prices and the lingering impact of his administration’s international trade wars, particularly with China.

Announcing the initiative at the White House alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Trump described the package as part of his plan to “make America affordable again” and stabilise the food supply chain. The event was attended by several members of Congress and representatives of the corn, soybean, rice, wheat, cattle, and potato industries.

According to the administration, $11 billion will be distributed as one-time payments under the Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, while $1 billion has been set aside for specialty crops not covered under the scheme.

Rollins said the funds would help officials assess “specialty crop conditions” and ensure forward momentum for the sector.The White House framed the policy as relief from “years of unjustified trade actions” and mounting inflation. Trump stressed, however, that farmers preferred fair competition over government assistance. “The farmers don’t want aid; they want a level playing field,” he said.Many farmers welcomed the short-term relief but voiced concerns about long-term challenges.

Mark Legan, a soybean and livestock farmer from Indiana, said the financial aid would “help our bottom line” but acknowledged it would not resolve issues like high input costs and shrinking export markets. “The problem is still that we have record-high prices for seeds and chemicals,” he noted.Brad Smith, another farmer from Illinois, said the news broke during the Illinois Farm Bureau Convention in Chicago.

“None of us really love it, but we can’t turn it down,” he told the BBC, adding that any government payment would likely be spent within days on overdue bills and next season’s inputs.The new package echoes similar programmes rolled out during Trump’s first term, including $22 billion in 2019 and $46 billion in 2020, which combined farm support with pandemic relief.

This latest move follows his October meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, after which Beijing pledged to purchase 12 million metric tonnes of US soybeans by year-end and 25 million annually from 2026 onward.

Despite China having fulfilled only a quarter of that target so far, Bessent told CBS that purchases are accelerating and could meet the goal by February. He described the farm aid as a necessary “bridge for the future,” ensuring farmers can finance next year’s production cycle while markets stabilise.

On Saturday, Trump also signed an executive order establishing food supply chain security task forces and directing agencies to examine “anti-competitive behaviour” in the agricultural marketplace.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar