Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson: Trump’s $12 Billion Farm Aid Is a Band-Aid for His Own Trade Disaster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2025

Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson: Trump's $12 Billion Farm Aid Is a Band-Aid for His Own Trade Disaster

Chicago, IL - Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's new $12 billion aid package for farmers:

"President Trump is trying to paper over a crisis of his own making. His chaotic trade war and tariff policies have driven down prices, destabilized export markets, and left Illinois corn and soybean farmers holding the bag. A one-time $12 billion payout is not a strategy; it is a band-aid meant to cover up years of damage."

Illinois' agriculture export economy is central to the state's prosperity, with corn and soybeans as cornerstone crops. Retaliatory tariffs and trade uncertainty have pushed soybean prices toward or below break-even levels and eroded key markets that Illinois farmers spent decades building, particularly in China and Mexico. These market losses come on top of rising input costs for machinery, fertilizer, and fuel, squeezing already thin margins for family farmers. "Farmers do not want to be used as pawns in a trade war," Jackson continued.

"They want stable markets, predictable policy, and a level playing field. This bailout does nothing to restore lost export relationships or protect rural communities from long-term decline. Once Brazil and Argentina capture those markets, it can take years to win them back, if ever. "Congressman Jackson is calling for de-escalation of trade conflicts, restoration and expansion of market access, and a durable farm safety net that supports producers without forcing them into crisis dependence on ad hoc bailouts.

Media Contact:
Office of Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01)
Phone: (202) 225-4372
Email: [email protected]