President Trump has authorized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make up to $16 billion in funding available to American farmers and ranchers to help offset the economic losses they’ve faced in the ongoing U.S. trade wars, with China, in particular.

“China hasn’t played by the rules for a long time and President Trump is standing up to them, sending the clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate their unfair trade practice,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, as he made the funding announcement May 24, 2019.

Leaders of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) said they were grateful for the work that the President and Secretary had devoted to the issue. However, AFBF president Zippy Duvall noted that “the real, long-term solution to our challenges in agriculture is good outcomes to current negotiations with China, Japan and the European Union, as well as congressional approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. America’s farmers and ranchers need fair and open access to markets.”

Source: USDA March 24, 2019 news release