Trump Administration making one time payments to farmers totaling $8 billion
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Farmers have been feeling the pinch this year, with rising costs, especially in diesel prices, affecting their bottom line.
Now, President Donald Trump has announced $8 billion are being made available in one time payments to farmers all across the country.
In Kentucky, farmers have been hit hard and have been forced to eat some of those losses that they’ve come to face this year.
“We don’t get to pass along a fuel surcharge or a delivery fee” said Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner Jonathan Shell. “In many cases, especially for row crop farmers, they’ve contracted this crop. They’re delivering it to Cargill down in Owensboro, and they can’t show up with a trailer load of of of corn or beans and say, hey, plus, I’m going to add $1,500 in fuel surcharge or delivery cost on this. And so they just have to eat that in their profit. And that’s, that’s really, I think the heart of what is happening here with the Trump administration is recognizing that pitfall that we’re in the agriculture community, and trying to relieve some of that.”
Shell says the concern with farmers isn’t just a regular one but a matter of national security and that protecting our farmers isn’t just about keeping food on the table but also protecting Americans as a whole.
“Right now, two thirds of fruits and vegetables that we consume in America come from outside of America. And, you know, we can’t allow that to happen with our beef markets, and our poultry markets. It’s already there with specialty crops. And so we’ve got to do everything that we can to make sure the American farmer can see that profitability so that they can not only farm for next year, but pass on for the next generation,” Shell said.
Outside these one time payments, what else can be done?
Well, Shell says that buying local and supporting your local ag tourism can help sustain these farms when they are forced to eat some of these costs.
“Making sure that you’re visiting your farmer’s market, demanding local products in your local grocery store, buying those off the shelf, helps make sure that they restock those. And so purchasing local, buying local as much as possible anytime that you can absolutely helps the American farmer, the Kentucky farmer, and your local farmer in your area. Visiting those agritourism locations, no matter where you may be in the state. You know, it’s fall. And so you’ve got pumpkin patches and orchards and corn mazes and everything right now. Those are always added benefits of how they can be helpful to the Kentucky farmer,” Shell said.
Farmers that are interested, you can head to the USDA Farm Service Agency website, or you can visit your local FSA office and apply there.
Approvals will be determined in this coming November, with payments expected to go out sometime at the beginning of 2027.
