President Donald Trump announced an $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief payment to farmers this harvest season to offset rising diesel costs and other increased input expenses amid disruptions to the global energy supply caused by attacks from Iran and its terrorist proxies in the Middle East.
“And some more goodies — you know, I always heard that when you’re president, you have a little bit of an advantage, and I sort of see why now, actually, I sort of see why: Tonight, I’m also pleased to announce that the Department of Agriculture will be launching a new Harvest Fuel Relief program, providing our farmers with $8 billion in support to offset diesel costs during this harvest season,” Trump said at a rally at the Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City, Kansas, near Wichita, stumping for Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
“And Roger Marshall is the leader who fought for that to happen. Roger got it to happen. Good job, Roger.”
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Trump compared this farmer bailout fund to the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program given earlier this year and the total of $28 billion given to farmers in his first administration, including $12 billion before the 2018 midterms.
“And when the Republicans win, we will pass even more funding for our farmers,” Trump continued. “We love our farmers.
“I just gave the farmers $12 billion, and in my first term, I gave them $28 billion, if you remember. And that came out of the tariff money from China. China paid it. It was a gift from China.”
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The USDA announced the $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief program will provide proportional support based on modeled losses during the 2026 crop year. Payments will be calculated using planted acres, production-cost estimates, yields and prices.
Commodity-specific payment rates for major crops are expected to be released in November. The program will be administered by the Farm Service Agency and funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.
Trump also highlighted a recent executive order waiving the off-road requirement for red-dyed diesel, allowing farmers and truckers to purchase the fuel tax-free.
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“Even without that, as soon as that war ends, you’re going to see a plunge because there’s so much oil and diesel around,” Trump said.
The USDA said the program follows $12 billion in bridge payments distributed to more than 560,000 farmers earlier this year and nearly $14 billion in recent Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage payments.
“President Trump is the most pro-farmer president of my lifetime, and he is continuing to put farmers first every day,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote in a statement Monday. “Today, I am proud to announce alongside President Trump more targeted relief is coming to our farmers through the Harvest Fuel Relief program. This $8 billion dollar investment will help bring certainty to our farmers during this harvest so they can continue to feed our nation.”
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Rollins, posting the rally announcement on X, hailed the move as “delivering critical support to farmers facing rising costs and market disruptions.”
“President Trump is putting FARMERS FIRST and delivering when they need it most!” she wrote.
