White House seeks $11 billion more in farm aid as costs pressure U.S. growers

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White House seeks more farm aid

Highlights

The White House requested over $11 billion in supplemental farm aid, with $10 billion for 2026 crop farmers and $1.1 billion for Florida storm recovery.
Higher fuel and fertilizer prices driven by Middle East shipping disruptions are increasing cost pressures and straining U.S. farm sector earnings.
If Congress approves, direct farm payments could reach $55.4 billion in 2026—about 33% of sector income, the largest share since 2001.

Funding request targets 2026 crops

As reported by Reuters, a White House supplemental funding request signed by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought asks Congress to approve more than $11 billion in additional farm aid. Of that total, $10 billion would go to row and specialty crop farmers for crops planted in 2026, while the remaining $1.1 billion would support Florida farmers affected by winter storms in late 2025 and early 2026.

The proposed package comes as the farm sector faces high production costs and low crop prices. Farm and industry groups say earlier aid helped producers prepare for spring planting, but it does not fully offset the financial strain.

Fuel and fertilizer prices have jumped this spring because of shipping disruptions tied to the Middle East conflict. Conditions have improved somewhat since Washington and Tehran reached an initial plan earlier this month to end the war.

Political and income impact for the farm sector

Farmers remain an important voting bloc for Trump as Republicans defend narrow congressional majorities in the November midterm elections. Reuters/Ipsos polling shows Trump's approval rating among rural Americans falls to 50% in June from 60% in February 2025.

If lawmakers approve the White House request, direct payments to farmers are forecast to reach about $55.4 billion this year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Wesley Davis, a partner at Meridian Agribusiness Advisors, says that would account for roughly 33% of total farm income in 2026, the highest share for direct payments since 2001.

In our earlier article, we covered the Senate Agriculture Committee’s discussion draft of the Agricultural Act of 2026, a farm bill proposal aimed at strengthening producer finances and modernizing the farm safety net. The draft outlines updates to commodity, dairy, disaster and crop insurance programs, along with higher USDA loan limits, streamlined conservation initiatives, and broader rural investments such as broadband, water systems, healthcare and childcare.

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