“So as you are going to your lender, as you are working to ensure and understanding what you can plant for next year, you will have that number in hand,” she says. “And we will continue to talk to our farmers, continue to understand exactly what this looks like and what is necessary.”

The Secretary says the $11 billion announced Monday is for row crops, and the remaining $1 billion allocated is being held in reserve at this time. “Some specialty crops and others that we are still working with to best understand where they are in the farm economy and ensure that we’re making every forward moving position that we need to,” Rollins says.

Cordt Holub a Tama County Iowa farmer who took part in the round table with the President says the bridge payment is an early Christmas present for farmers. “With this bridge payment, we’ll be able to farm another year, help us get by,” he says.

Colub also expressed the need for year-round E-15.

“I think we can have a lot of domestic product used here in the country, and we can keep America first, and you’re good at that,” he says. That is who you are.” Trump asked if E-15 was a big deal. To that, Holub replied, “E-15 is a great deal, year-round”. Trump said, “Okay.”

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig of Minnesota says the farm aid package picks winners and losers in the farm economy. She says it will not reduce higher operation costs, and it will not bring U.S. ag exports back to pre-trade war levels.

Committee Chair Glenn G.T. Thompson says the assistance announced Monday will help farmers obtain financing for 2026 and serve as a bridge to the long-term improvements to the farm safety net, which were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar says the one-time payment will benefit some farmers now, but it is not a long-term fix. She says the only way to do that is to restore markets.

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Despite these comments, the administration has sent mixed signals. Following a June 12 post promising protections for migrant workers, raids were temporarily paused—then resumed days later.

Trump’s statements contrast with those of border czar Tom Homan, who said enforcement on farms will continue but target criminals first. He emphasized legal hiring options for farm labor. The inconsistency has sown confusion and fear among agricultural employers and workers. One ICE raid reduced staff at a New Mexico dairy by more than half. In other regions, even rumors of ICE activity deterred workers, crippling operations.

Foreign-born workers play a major role in U.S. agriculture—accounting for 38% of jobs in farming, fishing, and forestry in 2023. Roughly 42% of crop farmworkers in 2020–22 had no work authorization, with the largest share of unauthorized labor concentrated in California. Measuring legal status remains difficult, but NAWS data remains a trusted source.

“The share of workers who are U.S. born is highest in the Midwest, while the share who are unauthorized is highest in California,” the Economic Research Service (ERS) reported.

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The short-term relief will allow the appeals process to proceed, after the U.S. Court of International Trade on Wednesday barred most of the tariffs announced since Trump took office, ruling that he had overstepped his authority.

Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has moved to reconfigure U.S. trade ties with the world while using levies to force foreign governments to the negotiating table.

But the stop-start tariff rollout, impacting both allies and adversaries, has roiled markets and snarled supply chains.

Prior to the decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, known as an administrative stay, the White House was given 10 days to halt affected tariffs.

The Trump administration called the ruling “blatantly wrong,” expressing confidence that the decision would be overturned on appeal.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the judges “brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump.”

Leavitt said the Supreme Court “must put an end” to the tariff challenge, while stressing that Trump had other legal means to impose levies.

A separate ruling by a federal district judge in the U.S. capital found some Trump levies unlawful as well, giving the administration 14 days to appeal.

‘Hiccups’
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told Fox Business that “hiccups” sparked by the decisions of “activist judges” would not affect talks with trading partners, adding that three deals are close to finalization.

Trump’s trade advisor Peter Navarro told reporters after the appellate stay that the administration had earlier received “plenty of phone calls from countries” who said they would continue to “negotiate in good faith,” without naming those nations.

Trump’s import levies are aimed partly at punishing economies that sell more to the United States than they buy.

The president has argued that trade deficits and the threat posed by drug smuggling constituted a “national emergency” that justified the widespread tariffs — a notion the Court of International Trade ruled against.

Trump unveiled sweeping duties on nearly all trading partners in April, at a baseline 10% — plus steeper levies on dozens of economies including China and the European Union, which have since been paused.

The U.S. trade court’s ruling quashed these blanket duties, along with those that Trump imposed on Canada, Mexico and China separately using emergency powers.

But it left intact 25% duties on imported autos, steel and aluminum.

Beijing — which was hit by additional 145% tariffs before they were temporarily reduced to make space for negotiations — reacted to the trade court decision by saying Washington should scrap the levies.

“China urges the United States to heed the rational voices from the international community and domestic stakeholders and fully cancel the wrongful unilateral tariff measures,” said commerce ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian.

Asian markets rallied May 29, U.S. indexes closed higher while Europe closed slightly down.

‘Extraordinary Threat’
The trade court was ruling in two separate cases — brought by businesses and a coalition of state governments — arguing that the president had violated Congress’s power of the purse.

The judges said the cases rested on whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) delegates such powers to the president “in the form of authority to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world.”

The judges stated that any interpretation of the IEEPA that “delegates unlimited tariff authority is unconstitutional.”

Analysts at London-based research group Capital Economics said the case may end up with the Supreme Court, but would likely not mark the end of the tariff war.

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Trump revealed the news May 30 during a rally at the US Steel’s Irving Plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. In a social media post later, he specified that the 50% levy goes into effect on Wednesday.

Trump was at the Irving Plant, part of Mon Valley Works, for the rally celebrating apparent investment promises by Japan’s Nippon Steel. He says the new tariff level would help ensure that the tentative “planned partnership” between Nippon and US Steel achieves success.

More broadly, Trump says he doubled the steel tariff to create a more impenetrable barrier to foreign steel competing against US domestic steel. He explains that the 25% tariff potentially could be overcome by some overseas exporters.

“At 50%, they can no longer get over the fence,” the president said.
One domestic steel association immediately lauded the move. The American Iron and Steel Institute issued a statement noting that Chinese steel production was 118 million tons last year, unfairly exceeding total North American volumes.

“Led by China, global steel overcapacity and production continues to grow, even as overall global steel demand is being impacted by the sharp downturn in the Chinese construction sector,” AISI president and chief executive Kevin Dempsey comments.

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U.S. officials emphasized ongoing discussions on trade and fentanyl-related measures, with a final decision expected after a 30-day review. Meanwhile, trade representatives from all three countries continued negotiations, aiming to find common ground on economic and security concerns, including migration policies and trade imbalances.

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A Market on Edge
President Donald Trump has threatened 25% import tariffs on Canada and Mexico, while a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum are already in place. In response, China has imposed a 10% tariff on U.S. agricultural equipment, further pressuring American manufacturers and farmers.

“It’s a perfect storm,” says Eric Wareham, senior vice president of government affairs at the North American Equipment Dealers Association. With shifting trade relationships, the long-term concern is that key markets will seek alternative suppliers, potentially leaving U.S. farmers and manufacturers with fewer buyers for their products.

Rising Costs and Market Shifts
Import tariffs could lead to increased costs for farm equipment, impacting both new and used machinery markets. Manufacturers will either absorb the cost or pass it on to dealers and, ultimately, farmers. Wareham warns, “Dealers are buyers, too. So yes, they will have to pass on the cost. There’s no absorbing this.”

Meanwhile, the used-equipment market has been heating up due to inflation, but auction values for compact and utility tractors have been falling. Sales of new farm machinery are also dropping, with U.S. tractor sales down 15.8% and combine sales plunging nearly 79% compared to early 2024.

Implications for Ag Tech and Farm Income
The tariffs could hit the agricultural technology sector particularly hard. Many essential tech components—such as sensors and cameras—are sourced from China, making autonomous farm equipment and precision ag tools more expensive. Sabanto CEO Craig Rupp notes, “I think it’s going to affect ag tech more so than the ‘big iron’ industry.”

With Canada and Mexico accounting for significant portions of U.S. agricultural trade, further disputes could push these countries to seek alternative suppliers. If that happens, U.S. farmers may once again rely on government aid to offset their losses. However, Wareham cautions that such payments often come too late, leaving farmers in financial limbo.

As the industry braces for uncertainty, many are taking a “wait-and-see” approach, holding off on major equipment purchases until the full impact of the trade disputes becomes clear.

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During his campaign, Trump frequently emphasized his plan to raise tariffs as a strategy to boost U.S. manufacturing by encouraging domestic production.

Trump also discussed his preference for reducing federal funding for clean energy and semiconductor production, marking a shift from the Biden administration’s focus on these sectors.

As President-elect Trump begins unveiling his transition plans, here are four manufacturing issues experts say could be most impacted by the incoming administration.

1. Tariffs
   Trump has consistently expressed his intent to raise tariffs, including a potential 10% tariff on all imported products and up to 60% tariffs on goods from China. The goal is to incentivize domestic production and reduce reliance on foreign imports.
   Sanjay Patnaik, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted that while tariffs could encourage local manufacturing, they may also increase costs for manufacturers that depend on imported components.
   “Higher tariffs could lead to increased costs for certain products, which may have implications for pricing,” Patnaik said. “The key question is how these policies will be implemented and how businesses will adapt.”
   Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, pointed out that while tariffs can protect certain industries, there is also the potential for other countries to impose retaliatory tariffs.
   “Historically, trade partners often respond with their own measures, which could impact U.S. exports,” Shih said. “The situation will likely evolve strategically, with countries assessing their best responses.”
   Shih added that there might be unexpected developments as Trump finalizes his tariff strategy.
2. Taxes
   The new administration is expected to extend the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed during Trump’s first term, which are set to expire in 2025. Andrew Wronski, chair of law firm Foley & Lardner’s manufacturing sector, highlighted that this could include continuing the expensing of research and development work, extending the 100% bonus depreciation, and potentially lowering capital gains taxes.
   “These measures have been favorable for manufacturers, providing opportunities for reinvestment,” Wronski said. “With the extension of these benefits, businesses may continue planning for long-term growth.”
   Sanjay Patnaik added that he anticipates a business-friendly approach from the new administration, particularly if Republicans gain a majority in Congress.
   “Similar to traditional Republican policies, we might see lower taxes and a pro-business stance,” Patnaik said.
3. Regulation
   Andrew Wronski suggested that the Trump administration may reduce regulatory oversight, including potential changes to industrial emissions rules from the Environmental Protection Agency.
   “There could be adjustments to regulations related to labor relations, overtime pay, and independent contractor rules,” Wronski said. “These changes may be viewed by manufacturers as positive steps toward fostering domestic production.”
   Wronski also noted potential shifts in policies from the National Labor Relations Board and the Federal Trade Commission, which could create a more favorable environment for businesses.
4. Energy
   The Trump administration is likely to focus on increasing domestic energy production and lowering energy costs, which could benefit manufacturers by reducing operational expenses.
   Trump has indicated plans to roll back certain national clean energy targets implemented by the previous administration, including vehicle emission standards and EV adoption goals.
   The President-elect has also discussed the possibility of reducing EV tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.
   “If implemented, these changes could benefit certain segments of the manufacturing sector by reducing costs and encouraging reshoring of production,” Wronski noted.

Conclusion
The Trump administration’s approach to manufacturing may involve significant shifts from previous policies, particularly in areas like tariffs, taxes, regulation, and energy. While some industry experts express concerns about potential challenges, others see opportunities for growth and increased domestic production. As the new administration takes shape, manufacturers will be watching closely to see how these policies are rolled out and their impact on the industry.

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At an event held in western Pennsylvania, Trump said he would also slap automakers with similar tariffs and is using tariffs as a central part of his economic plan should he win the Nov. 5 election. While the strategy is designed to protect American jobs from foreign competition, economists warn that such measures could increase inflation.

Deere announced plans earlier this year to lay off more than 800 workers in Illinois and Iowa. “Moline, Illinois-based Deere said in a statement it is committed to U.S. manufacturing with $2 billion invested in domestic plants since 2019.”

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Question: The United States has worked assertively over many different administrations to set the example for fair and open trade, for resolving trade disputes using sound, science-based principles and standards and for gaining access to new markets. As president, how would you be a proponent for expanding trade and pursuing remedies against nations and their leaders who use various barriers to unfairly shield their markets from competition?

Biden Response

We will develop a comprehensive strategy to aggressively enforce our laws in an effective way whenever it is needed. Critically, we will also look at what new approaches and tools are needed to combat unfair trade practices jeopardizing production and jobs here and to gain access for our products in other markets.

We must address the continuous efforts to evade and circumvent our trade laws and undermine the effectiveness of our trade cases. The issues of global overcapacity, foreign state-owned enterprises, and other problems undermine our interests and can’t continue. Workers deserve to know that their government will stand by their side and stand up for their rights so they don’t have to fight unfair trade on their own or see their jobs offshored and production outsourced.

Foreign cheating will not be allowed in our administration.

Trump Response

A major focus of the Trump Administration has been to renegotiate trade deals that were weak and provided inadequate market access and import protection to US farmers and ranchers. Previous Administrations negotiated trade deals that put our farmers and ranchers in a negative position to those that we compete with in foreign markets. To address this, the Trump/Pence Administration negotiated the following significant multilateral trade agreements:

• Korea
• Japan
• USMCA
• China phase 1
  • No one knows better than our nation’s farmers and ranchers that for decades, China has stolen our technology, restricted US foreign investment, manipulated their currencies and kept US farm products out of their market.
  • China has begun making purchases under the phase 1 commitment, and in a second Trump Administration term China will have to come back to the table for more access to American farmers.

In each of these agreements the Trump/Pence Administration has negotiated better deals for farmers and ranchers than what was in place previously.

The strategy of negotiating key trade deals on a multilateral basis has been a primary focus of the Trump/Pence Administration. While the Obama/Biden Administration negotiated weak trade deals, focusing on multilateral negotiations, the Trump/Pence team negotiated successful trade agreements with the above.

In addition to the new agreements President Trump has negotiated, we have also stood by are farmers when they were targeted by unjust trade retaliation. Other countries, China in particular, thought they could force us to accept more bad trade deals by targeting our farmers. We have taken some of the revenue we received in tariffs and we have provided $28 billion in direct support to those farms and commodities that have been unjustly targeted.

For too many years, American trade policy has allowed other countries to take advantage of us. Joe Biden doesn’t have a plan on trade, he will revert to the Obama-Biden years of letting China take advantage of us.

President Trump is very grateful to the American farmer for their patriotism that enabled him to stand up to the Chinese and be the first president to force them to change their practices that have resulted in the loss of millions of jobs in the U.S.   President Trump will never ask the American farmer to bear the cost of our important work to make China play by the same rules as the rest of the world

We know our farmers want markets, they want to grow and produce things to sell here in America and to the world, we also know that they want fair and reciprocal trade deals. The farmers have stood with us as we have taken on these unfair trade practices, and we have stood with them. When President Trump wins a second term, other countries already know he means what he says on trade, and we will continue to see more favorable agreements reached in a second term. There will be more opportunities with China if they decide to take more steps to play by the rules, we will get a bigger deal done with Japan, we are in talks with other major Asian countries. President Trump is also eager to finalize a new U.S.-U.K. Trade agreement that includes significant agriculture access, and hopes that can pave the way for progress with the EU as well, one of the most unfair markets to many of our America farmers.

Question: Reliable food supplies and stable prices are critical for the United States’ long-term prosperity and economic well- being. Programs in the farm bill, set to be renewed in 2023, provide key safety net and risk management tools for farmers, as well as critical tools to help farmers implement resource-conserving practices on the farm as well as trade promotion programs that help us build new markets abroad.

Sustained, effective and predictable policy through the farm bill is necessary to address the threats that farmers have faced historically and new threats we now face to provide a consistent food supply. This includes defending and strengthening crop insurance for risk management that is affordable and flexible for all producers. As president, how would you be a proponent for enhancing farm policy programs to bring certainty to farm and ranch families through crop insurance, improved risk management programs and support for beginning farmers and ranchers, while also bringing much-needed funding to trade development and agricultural research?

Biden Response

Crop insurance and risk management tools are incredibly important to farmers, especially in light of the most recent wind storm in Iowa, the fires out west, the drought in the Midwest, and Hurricane Laura in Texas and Louisiana. A Biden-Harris Administration will understand the important role crop insurance plays and will make sure the safety net is there for those who need it.

We also will strengthen our agricultural sector by pursuing a trade policy that works for American farmers.  of all crops grown and products raised in the United States are exported,  and helping to stabilize farm income. But America’s farmers and rural communities have paid a heavy price for President Trump’s tariffs. While Trump is pursuing a damaging and erratic trade war without any real strategy, we will stand up to China by working with our allies to negotiate from the strongest possible position. More information on what our administration’s trade policy will be can be found in the next section on international trade.

A Biden-Harris Administration will support beginning farmers. America tries to make it easy to start a business, but unless you inherit the land, it’s much more difficult to start a farm. We will expand the Obama-Biden Administration’s , doubling the maximum loan amount to $100,000. And, it will increase funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s  that typically serve beginning farmers who grew up on a family farm but need low-cost capital to add to their family’s operation to support another household.

We will reinvest in land grant universities’ agricultural research so the public, not private companies, owns patents to agricultural advances. We’ll reinvest in agricultural research by bolstering funding for the  and the . Our farmers need new technologies to compete in world markets while protecting our soil and water. These new technologies – and the next new seeds – should be developed and owned by the American people, not private companies who can use patents to expand profits.

And, we will strengthen antitrust enforcement. From the inputs they depend on – such as seeds – to the markets where they sell their products, American farmers and ranchers are being hurt by increasing market concentration. The Biden-Harris Administration will protect small and medium-sized farmers and producers by strengthening enforcement of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts and the Packers and Stockyards Act.

Trump Response

President Trump supported and signed the 2018 Farm Bill, and the Trump/Pence Administration worked expeditiously to implement the critical legislation.

The Trump Administration has implemented several new programs in the 2018 Farm Bill which have helped support our farmers during these uncertain times. This includes the dairy margin coverage program which has helped dairies across our country, especially in leading dairy states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, California, New York, and Pennsylvania withstand difficult market conditions. The Administration has worked on regulations that will support the burgeoning hemp industry, establishing rules that will lay the foundation for this to become another crop rotation option for farmers across the country. The Administration has also implemented provisions that will ensure the health of our nation’s livestock sector, even as we have seen disease threats like the African Swine Fever decimate China’s pork industry. Through new Farm Bill tools, we are working to ensure we keep these diseases out of the United States and developing vaccines and tools that can protect our domestic industry should we ever encounter such threats.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for Farm Bill programs that will help farmers prepare for the threats of tomorrow while maximizing productivity today.

President Trump believes that a new farm bill must be generous to our farmers and must do a better job of sustaining them through these tough times. The new farm bill cannot impose new regulatory or climate requirements on already struggling farmers. The smallest farmers will be the hardest hurt by new and unfunded mandates in the new farm bill.

Future Farm Bills must focus on building on the key pillars of our domestic farm policy including a strong crop insurance system, voluntary conservation programs, and increased agricultural research. Our farmers are the most innovative and productive in the world, and our farm policy must continue to unleash this great potential.

In addition to the Farm safety net, the Trump Administration has worked to ensure our farmers have had adequate protection from the Market Facilitation Program responding to unjustified trade retaliation; to Disaster programs that have come to aid our farmers that faced drought, fire, flood and snow across the Southeast, the midwest, and the West; to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Our farmers have faced much adversity, but as the heroic patriots they are, they have continued to get the job done, and the Trump/Pence Administration has boldly stood with them in that work.