Trump joint session speech: "So to our farmers, have a lot of fun. I love you too. I love you too."

[Desk trauma]

Trump says he'll use tariff revenue to bail out farmers​

Hill Republicans and powerful agriculture lobbying groups have been pressuring the administration to deliver some kind of farm aid.

Trump officials expect that Congress will need to authorize the use of tariff revenue for the farm aid package and are hoping lawmakers will include it in their omnibus package due by Nov. 21, according to three people familiar with the talks. That means the rollout of cash will likely start in early 2026.

Still, some Hill Republicans are privately alarmed by the proposal to distribute tariff revenue, according to one person with direct knowledge of the concerns. They’re worried such a plan would spark major demands from Democrats to insert more of their priorities into the November funding package. And they’d rather USDA tap internal funds, like it did during Trump’s first term trade warwith China.

Powerful agriculture lobbying groups and lawmakers representing farmers have been privately pushing the administration to step in with cash bailouts as they wait for the new market opportunities Trump has promised he can secure with major trading partners like China. [hahahaha]

Rugged individualism grit and bailouts.

 

[essentialsaltes]

California farmers had a lot of fun in 2024.

California ag industry passes $60 billion in value for first time ​

For the first time in the Golden State’s history, a new report shows the state’s agricultural industry produced over $60 billion worth of crops.

It’s a new record for California farmers, surpassing the 2023 total by 3.6%, for a total of $61.2 billion in 2024.

Dairy took the lead, with a value of $8.6 billion, followed by almonds at $5.7 billion, and grapes not far behind at $5.6 billion

 

[GoldenBoy89]

California farmers had a lot of fun in 2024.

California ag industry passes $60 billion in value for first time​

For the first time in the Golden State’s history, a new report shows the state’s agricultural industry produced over $60 billion worth of crops.

It’s a new record for California farmers, surpassing the 2023 total by 3.6%, for a total of $61.2 billion in 2024.

Dairy took the lead, with a value of $8.6 billion, followed by almonds at $5.7 billion, and grapes not far behind at $5.6 billion

Be sure to thank a migrant worker before they’re hauled off to a concentration camp!

 

[essentialsaltes]

More pain for US farmers as government shutdown halts payments​

The U.S. federal government shutdown that began Wednesday will halt some payments to farmers and delay access to federal farm loans, the latest blow for producers already facing low crop prices, record-high debts and a trade war at the height of the fall harvest.

The plans show the USDA will continue some operations deemed mission-critical, like administration of nutrition programs and food inspections.

But much of its other work will cease, such as processing of farm loans and making payments to farmers, including billions of dollars in disaster aid contained in President Donald Trump's tax-cut and spending bill.

Now, the USDA has stopped issuing weather-related disaster payments, accepting and processing farm loans, providing technical assistance for conservation programs and swaths of other agency work, the agency shutdown plan said.

It will also not process annual commodity and land conservation payments, typically issued by or in October, or advance money for loans the agency has already approved, according to the plan.

--but farmers did vote for Trump overwhelmingly, and Trump knows how to help his friends and smite the enemies within.

per atrupar

Bessent: "It's unfortunate that Chinese leadership has decided to use American soybean farmers as a hostage or pawn in the trade negotiations.

[American leadership decided to put tariffs on everything and some nations are countering with rational economic decisions, namely to reciprocate making American soybeans and all other products more expensive.]

American farmers overwhelmingly voted for President Trump ... you should expect news on Tuesday on substantial support for our farmers."

 

[essentialsaltes]

'Still going to be America’s Dairyland?' ICE raid threatens core identity of US heartland​

Some cow poopoo words are used in the article, but ICE has just done it's first raid of Wisconsin dairy workers.

--

Hmmm... I wonder who closed off all the old markets?

 

[essentialsaltes]

In March, the agency cutmore than $1 billion in funding for schools and food banks to purchase goods from local farms and ranches.

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.​

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cuts.​

The Food Bank of Central Louisiana, where Cornwell and Green’s groceries come from, gets more than half of its food from the federal government and receives very little state support. It serves rural areas of Louisiana, which has the highest poverty rate in the nation, according to U.S. census data.

The Trump administration canceled 10 orders for the food bank totaling over $400,000 of pork, chicken, cheese, dried cranberries, dried plums, milk and eggs, records show. The food bank has struggled to keep up with demand following the cuts and a decrease in private donations. Staff told ProPublica they used to distribute 25-pound packages of food, but over the summer, some packages shrank to about half of that weight.

THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM was created in 1983 to purchase farmers’ surplus food and distribute it to low-income people. The program’s budget is typically authorized every five years as part of the Farm Bill, but in 2018, the first Trump administration added funds to help farmers struggling under retaliatory tariffs the U.S. faced amid trade disputes.

Now characterizing the additional funding as a “Biden-era slush fund,” the second Trump administration cut $500 million that had already been allocated.

So Trump cancels the extra funds he offered to help out the farmers he hurt with tariffs the last time, even as he hurts them more with new tariffs.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.​

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cuts.​

The Food Bank of Central Louisiana, where Cornwell and Green’s groceries come from, gets more than half of its food from the federal government and receives very little state support. It serves rural areas of Louisiana, which has the highest poverty rate in the nation, according to U.S. census data.

The Trump administration canceled 10 orders for the food bank totaling over $400,000 of pork, chicken, cheese, dried cranberries, dried plums, milk and eggs, records show. The food bank has struggled to keep up with demand following the cuts and a decrease in private donations. Staff told ProPublica they used to distribute 25-pound packages of food, but over the summer, some packages shrank to about half of that weight.

THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM was created in 1983 to purchase farmers’ surplus food and distribute it to low-income people. The program’s budget is typically authorized every five years as part of the Farm Bill, but in 2018, the first Trump administration added funds to help farmers struggling under retaliatory tariffs the U.S. faced amid trade disputes.

Now characterizing the additional funding as a “Biden-era slush fund,” the second Trump administration cut $500 million that had already been allocated.

So Trump cancels the extra funds he offered to help out the farmers he hurt with tariffs the last time, even as he hurts them more with new tariffs.

If the people of Louisiana want to eat, get a job. The money will be better spent going to Argentina, Israel, or the golden ballroom that we have been lacking.

 

[Pommer]

If the people of Louisiana want to eat, get a job. The money will be better spent going to Argentina, Israel, or the golden ballroom that we have been lacking.

My understanding is that the golden ballroom isn’t being funded from government coffers…has I been misinformed?