U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that the federal government plans to announce “substantial support” for farmers early next week, with a focus on soybean growers hurt by the ongoing trade dispute with China.
Bessent called it “unfortunate” that Chinese leaders are using U.S. farmers as “a hostage or pawn” in the conflict, adding that he spoke with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins about relief measures. While it’s unclear if Treasury itself would provide aid or if USDA would use its Commodity Credit Corp. funds, Bessent promised news by Oct. 7.
Meanwhile, the ongoing government shutdown is adding pressure to farmers. Rollins accused Democrats of “abandoning” agriculture and families who rely on nutrition programs, while Republican leaders pointed to closed Farm Service Agency offices as another consequence of the budget standoff.
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