Economic Aid Package Announced While DOJ Investigates Price Fixing
The Trump administration announced the release of a long-awaited farm bailout. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Treasury Secretary Mark Bessent signaled that the aid is imminent. The package is expected to total $12 to $13 billion in funds coming from the replenished Commodity Credit Corporation fund, which received nearly $14 billion through a recent continuing resolution.
The bailout will primarily target soybean, corn, and other row-crop producers who have faced years of financial strain and declining market share. However, specialty crop growers—including those of citrus and potatoes—have been pushing for inclusion since they face severe economic pressure as well.
Key lawmakers, including House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson, have urged the administration to ensure specialty crop producers and small- and medium-sized farms receive a portion of the relief. A letter from Rep. Rosa DeLauro and 31 House Democrats warned that rising input costs and inflation are disproportionately hurting smaller operations.
Farmers largely agree that the aid is needed, but emphasize that it is not a long-term solution. Many prefer stable markets over recurring bailouts.
Alongside the bailout, Trump issued an executive order directing the DOJ and FTC to investigate price-fixing and anti-competitive practices in the food and agriculture supply chain. This expands earlier probes into meatpacking. The order targets potential manipulation in seed, fertilizer and equipment markets.
Meanwhile, Bessent disclosed he has divested his soybean farmland to comply with ethics rules after concerns about conflicts of interest related to his role in trade policy.
Read more on the economic aid package and DOJ investigation into price fixing here.