President Donald Trump announced Monday with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that his administration will use $11 billion of tariff revenue to economically aid the nation’s farmers.
Trump’s announcement came during a Cabinet Room roundtable with farmers, along with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“I’m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs” for the relief, Trump said.
Trump estimated that, considering the automobile plant and AI investments that the U.S. is taking in, in part because of his tariff strategy, the real number the U.S. is taking in from tariffs is in the trillions.
“This relief will provide much-needed certainty to farmers as they get this year’s harvest to market and look ahead to next year’s crops, and it’ll help them continue their efforts to lower food prices for American families,” the president continued.
Rollins said that “an $11 billion bridge payment” will be going to America’s farmers.
“The money will move by February 28 of 2026, but by the end of this month, so just in the next couple of weeks, every farmer that is able to apply for it will know exactly what that number looks like,” Rollins said.
“So as you are going to your lender, as you are working to ensure and understanding what you can plant for next year, you will have that number in hand, and we will continue to talk to our farmers, continue to understand exactly what this looks like,” she added.
She emphasized that the funds are covering row crops.
Bessent said, “These direct payments will give producers the breathing room they need to market this year’s harvest and plan for next season.”
“This serves as a liquidity bridge during a period of adjustment, supporting the strongest agricultural sector in the world,” he added.
Bessent touted that “pro-growth policies” are reducing the costs of key farming inputs.
“Thanks to the administration’s pro-growth policies, input costs like fuel, fertilizer are easing, and credit conditions are improving. Interest rates are coming down, helping farmers prepare for the next harvest,” he said.
A corn and soybean farmer named Cordt Holub, from Iowa, lauded the administration’s move.
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