U.S. plans $4.7B for farmers as 1st round of aid for tariff losses

WASHINGTON — U.S. farmers will get $4.7 billion in a first round of direct government aid to compensate for market losses caused by Chinese tariffs in a trade war that’s hurting some of President Donald Trump’s core supporters.

Growers of soybeans, the hardest hit, will get $3.6 billion, according to the plan the government released Monday. Pork will receive the second-highest payment of $290 million, and dairy producers are also eligible for assistance, the Department of Agriculture said. Sorghum, corn, wheat and cotton producers will also receive aid of different amounts based on the same formula.

When it was announced last month, the department estimated the total cost of the package at $12 billion.

Signups will start Sept. 4, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said, just as harvest season begins and before Nov. 6 congressional elections

Payments may start going out as soon as midSeptember.

The USDA will spend an additional $200 million promoting U.S. agricultural exports as part of the aid.

The government also will step up commodity purchases to help boost prices, making at least $1.2 billion of purchases, including $559 million of pork.

Extra farm aid would help producers who are seeing prices drop and inventories rise because of disputes with China, Canada and other trade partners who are significant purchasers of U.S. pork, soybeans and other crops.

The price-support funds don’t need congressional approval, as they are administered under USDA disaster procedures that date to the Great Depression.