The United States will pay farmers as much as $9.4 billion to offset the estimated losses from retaliatory tariffs by foreign nations, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced on Aug. 27.
President Donald Trump had ordered Perdue to study a short-term strategy to protect U.S. farmers while the White House negotiated better trade deals. In response, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $12 billion package in July that will pay cash subsidies to the farmers of crops and livestock directly impacted by tariffs, purchase surplus food for distribution to food-assistance programs, and help farmers market their goods to new customers.
