Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Dec. 2 that the administration will unveil a short-term 'bridge payment' for U.S. farmers next week to provide immediate relief while broader trade and aid packages are completed.
The payment is intended to help growers facing weak crop prices and billions in lost soybean sales to China amid ongoing trade negotiations. At a White House cabinet meeting, Rollins told President Trump, 'We do have a bridge payment. We'll be announcing with you next week.'
Although the administration's recent spending measure, dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' expanded some farm supports, farm groups say many growers still need immediate funds to cover spring planting and cash-flow needs.
The U.S. government is already projected to pay more than $40 billion to farmers in 2025 — the second-highest total since 1933 — according to U.S. Department of Agriculture figures, driven in part by ad-hoc disaster and economic assistance.
Aid amount still unclear
Senators John Boozman, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and John Hoeven, chair of the Senate agriculture appropriations panel, said they expect some assistance to reach farmers by year-end but are awaiting administration decisions on the exact amount and timing.
'I'm not exactly sure on the amount, but you know, we'll see — I think that's still being worked on,' Hoeven said. Boozman added that speed is a challenge after a 43-day government shutdown delayed action: 'The need is definitely there. Our farmers are in a situation that right now, if you're growing something out of the ground, you're losing money.'
Funding for the bridge payment is expected to come from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), a discretionary U.S. Department of Agriculture funding vehicle, and the White House is exploring additional sources to expedite support.
Officials say the bridge payment is intended as short-term relief while negotiations on longer-term trade and aid solutions continue. Additional details, including the size of the payments and eligibility criteria, are expected with next week's announcement.
Reporting: Trevor Hunnicutt, Bo Erickson and Leah Douglas.
