U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue meets the press in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on May 11, 2019. President Trump said on Monday he wanted an aid package that would help farmers do well and "make the same kind of money," though USDA said the aid is intended more to help with additional costs such as storing excess product rather than make up for lost revenue.
“We will ensure our farmers get the relief they need and very, very quickly – good time to be a farmer, going to make sure of that,” Trump said. “Today I'm announcing I have directed secretary Perdue to provide $16 billion in assistance to farmers and ranchers.”
He added, "the $16 billion of funds will keep our farms thriving and make clear that no country has a veto on America's economic and national security."
Trump also brought up changes in regulations that he says will help farmers, including expanding ethanol use and rolling back the clean water rule known as the Waters of the United States, which he has frequently said put too much of a burden on farmers. He also touted renegotiated trade deals with Canada and Mexico he said would better benefit farmers.
This would be the second time the Trump administration has provided aid to mitigate the impact to farmers losing money because of the escalating trade war with China.