Trump announces $8 billion 'Harvest Fuel Relief' program for U.S. farmers

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday at a rally in Park City, Kansas, a new $8 billion aid package for the country's farmers amid the sharp increase in diesel and fertilizer costs, CNN reported.

The plan, dubbed the Harvest Fuel Relief program, will be managed by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) through one-time payments offsetting part of the rise in 2026 production costs. The subsidy will be calculated based on acreage reported to the Farm Service Agency, production-cost estimates, and yield and price data. Specific payment rates for major grains will be announced in November.

The aid arrives at a delicate moment for farm country. Diesel hit a record $6.53 per gallon in September, and the national average is around $6.30, well above the $3.62 it cost just a year ago. Farmers are heavy consumers of this essential fuel for their machinery, right in the middle of harvest season. The war with Iran has added pressure: fertilizer costs have soared after the Middle East conflict disrupted a third of the world's supply normally flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.

This is the second time in 11 months that the USDA has granted a one-time payment through this program. In December, a $12 billion package was announced to support farmers hit mainly by trade disputes triggered by tariffs, which were reducing export demand for their crops.

The announcement comes two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, in which Republicans face headwinds that could complicate their effort to hold seats in farm-heavy states that are traditionally Republican. "We love our farmers," Trump told thousands at the Heartland Credit Union Arena, where he also promised more funding "when Republicans win." Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the $8 billion investment "will help bring security to our farmers during this harvest so they can keep feeding our nation."

Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters (via The Epoch Times)

Source: CNN