The White House request includes $10 billion for 2026 crop plantings and $1.1 billion for Florida farmers hit by winter storms, adding to $12 billion already disbursed this year.
President Donald Trump asked Congress to approve more than $11 billion in additional aid for U.S. farmers as higher fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the Iran war add to pressure from weak crop prices and existing trade strains. A White House supplemental funding request reviewed by Reuters shows $10 billion would go to row and specialty crop farmers for crops planted in 2026, while $1.1 billion would be directed to Florida farmers affected by winter storms in late 2025 and early 2026. The administration has already disbursed $12 billion to farmers this year. If the new request is approved, direct payments to farmers are forecast to reach about $55.4 billion this year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, equal to roughly 33% of total farm income in 2026 and the highest level since 2001, according to Wesley Davis, a partner at Meridian Agribusiness Advisors. The request comes as rural support for Trump has weakened, with Reuters/Ipsos polling showing his approval rating among rural Americans fell to 50% in June from 60% in February 2025.