Merkley Statement on Trump’s Farmer Bailout to Fix Crisis Created by Trump

Merkley Statement on Trump's Farmer Bailout to Fix Crisis Created by Trump

Soybean Exports Plummeted Due to Trump's Reckless Tariffs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following the unveil of a $12 billion bailout package for U.S. farmers who have been hurt by President Trump's reckless and haphazard tariffs, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the below statement. Due to the Trump Administration's policies, farmers across several commodities - especially soybeans - have faced devastating financial loses this year when foreign governments dramatically decreased or halted purchasing U.S. commodities altogether. These actions by the Trump Administration have caused farm bankruptcies to rise by nearly 60% compared with 2024.

"The financial strain U.S. farmers have faced throughout this year has been devastating and completely avoidable. There is only one person to blame - Donald Trump. Soybean farmers were projected to have a bumper crop this year - and they did - but Trump's self-inflicted tariff agenda left farmers with no market to sell to. Now, the Trump Administration is using U.S. tax dollars to provide a bailout to farmers to fix the President's mistakes. Unfortunately, for many family farms, it's too late. Farmers are the latest to suffer at the hands of the Trump families lose and billionaires win agenda," said Ranking Member Jeff Merkley.

This bailout by the Trump Administration not only does very little to support farmers who have faced significant loss this year, it also puts another strain on the pocketbook of the American taxpayer. Given that U.S. consumers and businesses initially paid for the tariffs that Trump put in place, using U.S taxpayer funds to bailout these farmers means U.S. taxpayers are essentially being charged twice for the president's policies.

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