Posted on 09/25/2025 10:53:04 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will use tariff revenue to offer cash bailouts for farmers who are struggling with trade uncertainty and other economic headwinds.
“We’re going to take some of that tariff money that we made, we’re going to give it to our farmers, who are, for a little while, going to be hurt until the tariffs kick into their benefit,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “So we’re going to make sure that our farmers are in great shape, because we’re taking in a lot of money.”
Trump officials expect that Congress will need to authorize the use of tariff revenue for the farm aid package and are hoping lawmakers will include it in their omnibus package due by Nov. 21, according to three people familiar with the talks. That means the rollout of cash will likely start in early 2026.
The Trump administration has been exploring several ways to fund a farm aid package this fall for weeks as producers of top exports like corn and soy stare down a potential economic crisis that’s been exacerbated by the president’s aggressive tariff rollout.
The president, as he conveyed publicly Thursday, likes the messaging of using direct tariff revenue for the farm aid package, rather than tapping other funds, according to two of the people familiar.
Republicans from House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have also floated using tariff revenue to pay farmers, though the plan could run into roadblocks if the Supreme Court decides Trump’s tariffs are not legal.
Still, some Hill Republicans are privately alarmed by the proposal to distribute tariff revenue, according to one person with direct knowledge of the concerns. They’re worried such a plan would spark major demands from Democrats to insert more of their priorities into the November funding package. And they’d rather USDA tap internal funds, like it did during Trump’s first term trade war with China.
“I think we need to be eyes wide open about how big the Democratic counter-offer to this would be,” said the person, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Powerful agriculture lobbying groups and lawmakers representing farmers have been privately pushing the administration to step in with cash bailouts as they wait for the new market opportunities Trump has promised he can secure with major trading partners like China.
“The pitch being made to the administration is, ‘Look, if you don’t have some kind of ace up your sleeve here, like an imminent deal with China and/or a string of other trade deals that are about to be announced that also happen to lighten the load on soybeans, then there’s going to have to be a bailout,’” one agriculture industry representative, who was granted anonymity to discuss the private talks, previously told POLITICO.
So he is going to redistribute the wealth.
Got it.
Where does the word ‘bailout’ appear?
Real farmers or corporate farms?
Money for non-production = bail out
> Real farmers or corporate farms? <
Bingo! Corporate farms usually have the ability to withstand a bad year, or three. On the other hand, one bad year could destroy a family farm.
sounds like socialism.
When the govt “gives” you something, there is a hook imbedded.
Will than include Bill Gates’ 275K acres?
“Will than include Bill Gates’ 275K acres?” Darn good question. Will it include somebody who has 1400 acres of grass and crop ground who decided to pursue that occupation even though they went to university for awhile? I remember Trump saying he loved the American Farmer.
A better idea would be elimination of all USDA and EPA permits or inspection requirements for on-farm meat processing and/or meat processed and sold in-state. Pass Thomas Massie’s PRIME Act.
Give small farms and Ag processing plants OSHA exemptions
Removal of EPA wetlands and “Waters of the USA” regulations for private farms under 1000 acres
Very like FDR.
Corporate farmers benefit most.
Many Family farms unlikely to have qualifying loses.
It was not until President Trump was re-elected that I learned about the huuuuge Canadian tariffs on USA farmers. USA Dairy and some other products had a 200% to 300% tariffs.
Considering the leftist rabbit hole of the Canadian leviathan, perhaps some of the Canadian provinces will declare independence, and arrange fair trade agreements with the USA.
It’s what people do with their pay check too
Who said they won’t be producing?
Commence flaming.
It’s kind of pointless to produce products without buyers, but let’s say that they do. IIn that case, we’re just subsidizing them.
How many other businesses get subsidized to produce goods at a loss?
There is literally no place left in politics for a principled capitalist.
It’s over. Even Milei had to take an IMF bailout and now has the hand out for further US backing (never mind that “IMF bailout” always/already means “US funded”). At least he has the excuse of a century of socialist reliance he was trying to break.
I feel like the world has become a nightmare out of that Blues Brother’s scene “Oh, we like both kinds of socialism here!”
“ When the govt “gives” you something, there is a hook imbedded.”
The hook is the results of the tariffs are going to hurt farmers in the short term.
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