White House Considers New Support for Farmers as Tariff Conflict Intensifies
The initial Trump administration allocated $28 billion in assistance to farmers to compensate for their losses due to the retaliatory tariffs imposed by China.
On April 15, the White House announced that President Donald Trump is contemplating relief strategies for American farmers who are experiencing declining prices and increasing production expenses amid the ongoing trade conflict with China.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, when questioned about the possibility of launching a support initiative similar to that of his first term, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the topic is currently being actively discussed.
“The secretary of agriculture has indeed discussed this with the president, and … it’s being taken into consideration,” Leavitt stated.
Leavitt was also inquired about Trump’s suggestion to permit farmworkers who are in the U.S. without legal status to temporarily exit the country and re-enter as lawful workers. She mentioned that the president maintains “constant communication” with his Cabinet regarding ways to assist farmers but did not share any specific details or a timeline for implementation.
Trump has enacted tariffs on a broad range of commodities globally, including a 25 percent duty on steel and aluminum, as well as tariffs on certain products from Canada and Mexico. The most severe of these is a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports, which has prompted a retaliatory 125 percent tariff on American goods following escalating trade penalties between the two countries.
In 2018 and 2019, Trump sanctioned $28 billion in funds for farmers to alleviate the impact of China’s retaliatory tariffs. During this period, Beijing strategically targeted agricultural goods—like pork, corn, sorghum, and soybeans—produced in rural states that supported Trump in the 2016 election.
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One of the sectors most adversely affected was soybean farming. China, which was once the largest importer of American soybeans, significantly decreased its purchases from U.S. suppliers and turned instead to Brazilian soybeans as substitutes. Brazil, benefiting from a temperate climate that allows for biannual harvests and extensive areas of cleared savannah and forest for crop production, has become the leading soybean producer globally, making up 40 percent of the international market and 70 percent of China’s soybean imports.
Current tariffs are significantly higher compared to those six years ago.
Earlier this month, during a segment on Fox News, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recognized that the present tariff environment is generating uncertainty for farmers and ranchers, many of whom operate with narrow profit margins. Nonetheless, she suggested that relief might soon be forthcoming.
“It’s certainly a period of concern when you examine everything holistically, particularly regarding these tariffs,” Rollins noted. “However, I believe we will witness prompt relief once again.”
While the secretary did not specify a timeline, she hinted that new aid could be available within three to four months, coinciding with the harvest season.
“We are already beginning to contemplate what a mitigation plan might entail,” she added. “Hopefully, none of that will be needed.”
