Trump Announces $12 Billion USDA Relief Package: What It Means For Jackson Farmers

JACKSON, Mich. — President Trump has announced a $12 billion relief package for U.S. farmers administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and funded by federal dollars.

What the Package Includes

The administration is directing $11 billion to the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, aimed primarily at producers of row crops such as cotton, wheat, sesame, soybeans, rice, lentils and corn. An additional $1 billion is designated for specialty and other crops.

Payment Limits, Deadlines and Timing

Payments under the program will be capped at $155,000 per farm. The USDA says producers must file acreage reports by Dec. 19 to be eligible; payments are expected to begin early next year, once enrollment and verification processes are complete.

Local Impact

For many Jackson-area growers, the payments could provide immediate help with outstanding bills. Mark Sears, owner of Sears Farm in Jackson, said the assistance could be a critical lifeline for operations that are struggling to catch up from previous seasons.

“If you can pay your bills, you can keep in business and basically that’s about what they’ll do — help people cover the bills that are here right now. It will give them hope for next year being a better year,” Sears said.

“They know the money is going to be coming and it should help them out, but next year is going to be probably another tough year if we don’t get prices turned around,” he added.

Sears cautioned that the relief is a short-term bridge: grocery and meat prices have not dropped, and broader market shifts will be necessary for longer-term recovery. “It’s not an overnight Band-Aid,” he said. “There’s no way to fix it overnight — it’s going to be a long-term system.”

Industry Reaction

In a statement provided to local media, the Michigan Farm Bureau National Legislative Counsel called the bridge payments “a great first step in providing relief after a challenging year,” saying the organization is encouraged by the initial $11 billion for row crop farmers and is awaiting more details on the $1 billion for specialty crop growers.

The USDA will publish program details and enrollment guidance in the coming weeks. Producers interested in the program should contact their local USDA office to confirm eligibility, file acreage reports by Dec. 19 and prepare required documentation.