USDA Announces $12 Billion Farmer Bridge Payments for Trade War Market Losses

The Trump administration announced $12 billion in one-time "Farmer Bridge Payments" via the Farm Service Agency, with $11 billion for row crop producers (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and 16 other commodities) and $1 billion for specialty crop farmers. Payments are capped at $155,000 per farmer and limited to farms with under $900K adjusted gross income. The aid follows $35-44 billion in farm losses for 2025 — partly from China halting U.S. soybean imports May-November. Farm leaders called the payments insufficient.