特朗普将推出期待已久的120亿美元农业援助计划

Core Viewpoint - The Trump administration plans to launch a long-awaited agricultural assistance program, providing $12 billion in funding to support farmers affected by low crop prices and the impacts of presidential policies [1][5]. Group 1: Assistance Program Details - The assistance program will allocate up to $11 billion through the newly established Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA) to provide one-time payments to crop growers, with the remaining funds supporting other crop categories not covered by the program [1][6]. - The announcement is scheduled for 2 PM Washington time, with attendance from various crop growers and key officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins [1][6]. Group 2: Context and Background - This initiative reflects the agricultural support provided during Trump's first term amid a trade war with China, as dissatisfaction among Republican lawmakers regarding farmers' economic struggles has increased ahead of the midterm elections [1][6]. - The agricultural community, which overwhelmingly supported Trump in the 2024 election, is facing shrinking export markets for several crops, particularly soybeans, which saw a halt in Chinese purchases earlier this year [2][6]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - Since late October, soybean purchases by China have gradually increased, with the USDA reporting a record daily purchase volume in two years, totaling 2.25 million tons since October 30 [2][7]. - However, current purchase volumes fall short of U.S. farmers' export expectations and are significantly below the target of 12 million tons by the end of February, as stated by Bessent [7]. Group 4: Historical Context and Economic Impact - Previous assistance included $28 billion in subsidies during 2018 and 2019 to offset losses from the trade dispute with China, although the long-term effects of the trade war have led to increased reliance on Brazil for soybean supply [4][8]. - Despite recent optimism boosting soybean futures prices, crop prices remain near their lowest levels since 2020, compounded by rising production costs and shrinking farmer incomes [8].