U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says the $12 billion aid package announced by President Trump yesterday (Monday) should not come as a surprise, considering the pressures the agricultural sector has been under for the last two years. Of the $12 billion, approximately $11 billion will be allocated directly to the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, which will result in direct payments to row-crop producers.
Congress previously allocated $30 billion to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), and funding for this latest round of aid will come from the CCC. Grassley says Trump’s trade wars have not made things easier for farmers, but he notes the pressures on the industry cannot be attributed solely to tariffs.
Grassley adds that the future of presidential authority to enact tariffs is in question, as there have been legal challenges suggesting Trump has superseded the powers delegated to him by Congress. Historically, trade policy has fallen under the purview of elected legislators.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released information Monday indicating payments will be released by Feb. 28, 2026, and stressed that eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is updated no later than 4 p.m. Central Time by Dec. 19, 2025. Commodity-specific rates will be released by year’s end. Payments will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Grassley made his comments Monday during his weekly Capitol Hill Report with Iowa reporters.
