Tue, 07 Oct 2025

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 Trump's farmer bailout raises fears about trade war winners and losers

Plans to spend billions of dollars supporting farmers have frustrated many other kinds of businesses that have also been hurt by tariffs.

* President Trump's administration is developing plans to send billions of dollars in support to farmers, especially soybean growers, who have been hurt by tariffs imposed on Chinese imports.
* The plan reflects pressure from a key part of Trump's voter base and echoes a bailout extended to farmers during his first term.
* However, other businesses affected by the tariffs, including craft brewers and wine producers, feel left out and are calling for wider relief.
* Small business owners argue that excluding small businesses from the relief package is unfair and stings on a personal level.
* The Trump administration says it's responding to China's retaliation after Beijing halted purchases of American soybeans earlier this year.
* Other industries, such as wine and distilled spirits, have seen sharp drops in exports too, and are pushing for inclusion in the relief package.
* Some analysts question whether the bailout will help farmers in the long run, citing mixed evidence from previous analyses and concerns about concentration of funds among the wealthiest farms.
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