US farmers have suffered from the back and forth of US tariff policy. Now President Trump’s core voters are receiving billions in aid, which is also justified by Biden’s failure.
US President Donald Trump has announced a billion-dollar package to support farmers. At a meeting in the White House, Trump said the package was worth twelve billion dollars. Farmers voted for him in the election and they are the backbone of the country, Trump said. “Twelve billion is a lot of money,” he emphasized.
Government blames Biden
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins thanked Trump, whom she called “the best boss in the world.” She announced that the money would be paid out to farmers by the end of February. The minister spoke of eleven billion dollars that went to farmers who grow corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and cotton. A billion is still being held back for other farmers.
The White House described the package as help for farmers who suffered from high costs under the previous administration of President Joe Biden and the diversity, equity and inclusion programs pushed by the then administration.
The online portal Politico wrote that the announcement follows months of government promises to provide aid to farmers suffering from the effects of the president’s trade tensions and rising production costs. American farmers had problems, among other things, because they could hardly sell soy to China. China was their main customer.
Soy exports are stagnant
According to the government, the situation has now eased. China has committed to purchasing millions of tons of soybeans from the United States, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced at the end of October. Over the next three years, the People’s Republic will buy 25 million tons of US soy annually.
However, the broadcaster CNBC reported in mid-November that, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), China has so far been buying American soy very slowly. The Washington Post wrote that since the summit between Trump and President Xi Jinping in South Korea at the end of October, Beijing has only bought a quarter of the agreed amount, but the government is confident that it will be more.
Farmers have supported Trump politically, but his trade policies and frequently changing tariff rates concern them, the Post wrote. The billion-dollar aid is the government’s latest measure to respond to voters’ fears about rising costs. (sda/dpa)