Hoosier farmers react to Trump administration aid amid tariffs

Hoosier farmers said the $12 billion aid package from the Trump administration will help them amid tariffs.

The one-time investment comes as U.S. farmers struggle with rising costs and sweeping tariffs. Most of the funding, $11 billion, will go toward farmers that produce row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.

Alan Dunn, president of the Indiana Corn Growers Association, said the funding was a relief as the industry needs help.

"It's a meaningful amount," Dunn said. "It's a significant amount, and it's a needed amount."

The payments are intended to be a short-term bridge for U.S. farmers. Exact payments have not yet been calculated.

The New York Times reported a producer could receive up to $155,000, and only farmers with an adjusted gross income of less than $900,000 would be eligible.

"We hope that this is going to be a fix that, at least in the short term, is good for producers regardless of their size," said David Hardin, a Hendricks County farmer and chair of the Indiana Soybean Alliance's Membership and Policy Committee.

Dunn said the funding should help growers get their crops in the ground.

Farmers are planning their 2026 crops, which will be planted this spring, Hardin said. The funding could help them as they make commitments to their suppliers.

"Having this bridge payment will be something that the farmer can take to their lender and say, 'Yes, this is cash flow that we're going to get in the first quarter of '26,'" Hardin said. "They can use that to get the credit that they need, to go out and secure the inputs that they need to plant this next crop."

The Trump administration said payments will be released before March 2026.

Trade wars have complicated the finances of Hoosier farmers. The American Soybean Association reported farmers will lose about $109 per acre this year. Indiana soybean growers also took a hit when the U.S. raised tariffs on China, the largest soybean buyer in the world. China stopped buying American soybeans in January.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has considered raising tariffs on fertilizer and farming equipment.

Hardin said he appreciates the administration reacting to the economic plight of farmers, but a trade war is only one part of the problem.

"I think it just is going to take more thoughtful discussions about what we can do to make sure we see input prices come down and opportunities for Indiana farmers to sell their products at better prices," Hardin said.

American farmers are facing another tough year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts production costs will continue to rise while crop cash receipts will decrease.

Randy Kron, president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, said the group is encouraged by the aid package as bankruptcies rise and profits are scarce.

"We're hopeful this will help stabilize the farm economy, sustain rural communities, and maintain affordable food prices," Kron said.

While $11 billion goes toward row crops, the remaining $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops such as fruits and sugar, "though details including timelines for those payments are still under development," the USDA said.

Dunn said he expects most Indiana growers of eligible row crops will get a payment.

"The moment they get it, they're going to go out to our input suppliers, to the seed that we need, to the landlords that we rent farmland from," Dunn said. "It will have a multiplier effect."