Trump announces $8 billion in aid to farmers over diesel costs: How the program works
The president announced the news during a campaign event in Wichita, Kansas, alongside Republican Senator Roger Marshall.
Donald Trump announced a new $8 billion aid program to help farmers offset rising diesel prices during harvest season. The president announced the news during a campaign event in Wichita, Kansas, alongside Republican Senator Roger Marshall.
"The Department of Agriculture (USDA) will launch a new Harvest Fuel Relief program, providing our farmers with $8 billion in support to offset diesel costs during this harvest season," the president said.
Unlike gasoline, which is used primarily for cars and other personal vehicles, diesel is essential for freight transportation and activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, and construction. Trucks, tractors, buses, and much of the heavy machinery run on this fuel. During harvest season, these diesel-powered machines incur higher costs.
The announcement comes as the national average price of diesel stands at $6.31 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
How will the program work?
As explained by the USDA in a press release, farmers will receive a one-time payment to mitigate the impact of rising diesel prices. The payment will be calculated using a formula based on the number of hectares each producer planted and USDA estimates of costs, yields, and prices, to cover a portion of what they would have lost in the 2026 harvest.
Funding for the program will come from the Commodity Credit Corporation, the USDA fund that supports farm income, and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Since the program is specifically intended for crops listed under Title I of the Farm Bill—such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and cotton—producers of other products, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts, as well as fishermen, will need to provide additional data on their diesel expenses to the USDA. They can submit this information by email to [email protected], and the USDA will take it into account when determining how much to pay them.
Those who meet the requirements should create an account now at Login.gov, the federal government's online identification system, before the aid application period is announced. Producers with that account linked to the USDA can find online application forms already filled out with their information to streamline the process.
The amounts producers will receive will be announced in November, and agency officials emphasized that enrollment in the program will not be required for agricultural insurance.
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