As of Monday, the Trump administration has made $8.52 billion in direct payments to farmers through a 2018 aid program designed to counter losses stemming from the trade war with China, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson said.
Why it matters: President Trump promised aid of up t0 $12 billion, but the program stalled during the month-long government shutdown and major flooding in the Midwest has caused farmers additional pain. A prolonged trade war, which seems to be where the U.S. and China are headed, could force the Trump administration to renew the program.
Details: When this portion of the trade mitigation program was created in September last year, farmers were supposed to receive a payment at 50% of the producer’s total production, capped at $12 billion. This also includes support of up to $1.2 billion through commodity purchases and $200 million allocated to developing foreign markets.
Top commodities that received aid:
- Soybeans
- Corn
- Wheat
- Cotton
- Sorghum
Top states that received payments:
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Indiana
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