Trump pledges $15B in farmer aid ahead of midterms as diesel and fertilizer costs surge

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s administration has pledged more than $15 billion in assistance for farmers in the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, offering relief as rising diesel and fertilizer prices put pressure on agricultural producers.

The measures include an $8 billion one-time payment program intended to offset higher fuel costs, alongside loans, grants, and other forms of support.

The announcements were made as Trump campaigned in rural states, with the impact of the financial assistance on Republican turnout and support remaining uncertain just days before the midterm elections on November 3.

Trump unveils $15 billion in farmer aid ahead of midterms

More than half of the announced assistance will go toward an $8 billion one-time payment program for farmers facing higher diesel expenses.

The Department of Agriculture said the Harvest Fuel Relief program would provide support to producers based on a uniform formula covering a portion of modeled losses during the 2026 crop year.

Payments will be calculated using Farm Service Agency data, with further details expected this month. The timing of the payments has not yet been specified.

Trump first announced the program at a rally in Kansas, saying, “Tonight I’m also pleased to announce that the Department of Agriculture will be launching a new Harvest Fuel Relief program, providing our farmers with $8 billion in support to offset diesel costs during this harvest season.”

“And when the Republicans win, we will pass even more funding for our farmers. We love our farmers,” the president added.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described the initiative as a major investment in the sector. “More targeted relief is coming to our farmers,” she said in a statement.

“This $8 billion dollar investment will help bring certainty to our farmers during this harvest so they can continue to feed our nation.”

The broader package includes at least $5 billion in guaranteed loans for ranchers and fishermen, $1.8 billion in payments for producers and landowners participating in conservation programs, $573 million for fertilizer manufacturing projects, and $57 million to expand meat-processing capacity.

Specialty crop producers will also receive $86.6 million in grants for innovative projects.

The USDA has separately announced plans to purchase up to $472.5 million in agricultural commodities for producers and charitable programs.

It also intends to provide $13.8 billion in safety-net payments to eligible producers for the 2025 crop year, including growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, and rice.

Rising diesel prices and tariffs threaten GOP rural support

Farmers have faced higher operating expenses following increases in fuel and fertilizer prices, while tariffs have also raised the cost of agricultural equipment and contributed to trade tensions with China, weakening demand for US farm goods.

Diesel averaged $6.32 per gallon on Friday, October 30, according to AAA, around 70% higher than a year earlier.

Filling a 100-gallon tank now costs approximately $260 more than it did at the same time last year.

The issue also carries political significance for Republicans, who have traditionally relied on rural voters.