US farmers complain that $12 bln aid package is not enough

US President Donald Trump recently announced a new $12 billion aid package for American farmers, aimed at supporting the agricultural sector, which has suffered significant losses due to trade wars and tariffs. A significant portion of the funds — about $11 billion — are planned to be allocated to farmers growing major field crops through the USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which is supposed to provide one-time payments based on acreage and production costs.

But many farmers have expressed concern that these funds are not enough to cover the losses caused by trade tariffs. According to the American Farm Bureau, farmers have already suffered losses of $34.6 billion in 2025 alone, which is far more than the amount of aid proposed. Critics note that even a program with a payment of about $50 per acre will not be able to save thousands of family farms that are at risk of bankruptcy by the end of the year.

The situation is particularly difficult for soybean, corn and rice producers, who have been hit by reduced imports from key trading partners, including China. The loss of sales markets and lower domestic crop prices are forcing farmers to switch to less profitable crops or reduce production areas.

Despite this, some analysts and farming associations express cautious optimism about a possible improvement in the situation in 2026, in particular due to agreements with China on purchases of American soybeans and potential changes in biofuel policies. At the same time, the overall financial outlook for the agricultural sector remains unfavorable without a steady recovery in external demand.

Tags: China, subsidies, soybean, USA, margin