WASHINGTON, D.C. — As ag producers across the country, including Kansas, suffer the impact of increased tariffs on a wide range of goods, the US Department of Agriculture has now announced plans to help soften the blow.
The USDA says $12 billion in aid is coming as part of three separate programs:
*The Food Purchase and Distribution program will by unexpected surplus items like fruits, nuts, rice, legumes, beef, pork and milk to distribute to food banks and other programs. This is administered by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
*The Trade Promotion Program, administered by the Foreign Agriculture Service, will help in developing new export markets.
*The Market Facilitation Program authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation’s Charter Act and administered by the Farm Service Agency. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says this will help producers manage markets, deal with surplus commodities and develop new markets worldwide.
Increased tariffs have impacted anything from soybeans and sorghum to milk, pork, fruits, nuts and specialty crops. Tariffs raise production costs, but they also increase prices for consumers. At the same time, those price increases make American goods less attractive to buyers overseas — which could lead to those markets drying up.
