Trump’s new farm rescue plan leaves many producers questioning whether relief will match their losses (The New York Times): President Trump unveiled a multibillion-dollar farm aid package yesterday, as producers continue to absorb steep financial hits from ongoing trade disputes, rising costs, and weak commodity prices. The administration is framing this new support — to be paid out by the end of February — as necessary “relief,” but many producers interviewed say the payments still fall far short of covering the losses they’ve taken on over several years of disrupted markets. Many farmers feel increasingly strained as trade tensions linger and foreign buyers shift to long-term competitors, leaving U.S. producers worried these markets may not return.
Farm groups and individual producers say they appreciate any help, but they also describe a growing frustration: the aid is unpredictable, arrives after losses have already accumulated, and doesn’t address the structural challenges farmers now face in financing operations, securing labor, and navigating volatile export markets. Several producers told the NYT they feel “caught in the middle” between Washington’s political fights and the global marketplace.
While some farmers remain loyal to Trump and hope stronger trade deals will eventually pay off, others say their patience is wearing thin. They argue that temporary payouts cannot compensate for the long-term erosion of market share, higher input costs, and declining profitability. Many told the NYT that what they truly need is stable policy, reliable export channels, and a clear path to rebuild demand—not another short-term bailout.
Trump orders major investigation into food-chain price inflation and supply-chain security (Agri-Pulse): In a new executive order issued Saturday, Donald Trump directed the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to set up two “Food Supply Chain Security Task Forces” — one in each agency — to examine whether anti-competitive practices such as price-fixing, collusion, or the influence of foreign-controlled firms in food supply chains are contributing to rising grocery and agricultural costs. The probe is also tasked with determining whether such practices pose national-security risks.
The order requires both task forces to report back within 180 days, with a follow-up report after a year. If evidence of wrongdoing is found, the DOJ can pursue criminal prosecution and the FTC can recommend regulatory reforms — aiming to “remedy any anti-competitive behavior.” The administration pointed specifically to recent lawsuits settled by meatpackers and named sectors such as meat processing, seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment as especially vulnerable.
For farmers, this could signal a push to crack down on consolidation and corporate practices that may have squeezed prices — potentially improving market transparency and fairness over time. However, the order does not explicitly involve the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the results — including which firms might be targeted — remain uncertain.