The federal government is expected to have more information by the end of this month on its $12 billion trade relief package for farmers, including those in Missouri. USDA Trade Under Secretary Ted McKinney says farmers will need to sign up for the program and compensation will be based on 2018 yield data.
Missouri farmers can expect more details soon on trade relief package
“We hope and are intending to make that easy, so they can go online and get the form,” McKinney says. “A lot of it is already stored at the Farm Service Agency location. We’re going to encourage them to get that in very quickly.”
President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports have prompted other nations to put tariffs on U.S. products, including agriculture goods. The retaliatory tariffs have created additional uncertainty for farmers.
McKinney says while most farmers would prefer markets, relief from retaliatory tariffs is necessary as they continue to face a decline in the farm economy.
“The mitigation strategy isn’t something anybody wanted, but when other countries didn’t like our desire to straighten out and fix these inadequacies that get at free, fair, and reciprocal trade, we undertook the program with a lot of support,” he says.
According to McKinney, farmers should be able to apply for the program beginning around September 4.
Courtesy of Radio Iowa’s Pat Curtis
