President Donald Trump, speaking to hundreds of farmers at the White House Friday, urged Congress to pass a new farm bill and expressed his support for year-round E-15 and additional farm aid payments.
“I’m thrilled to welcome all of you to the South Lawn for the single largest gathering of American farmers that the White House has ever seen,” Trump said as he began his remarks with three tractors – a Gold-wrapped Fendt 1167 Vario, American flag-wrapped Case Heartland Magnum 265, and John Deere 8R 540 – parked on the front drive.
“We gave you $12 billion in farm relief just recently because you were hurt by certain countries unfairly,” Trump said, referencing the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program payments unveiled in December. “I'm also asking Congress to quickly pass the new farm bill, and today I'm promising to request additional farm relief for our great patriots in the next funding bill so we have you taken care of in both instances.”
Trump posted “CONGRESS: PASS THE FARM BILL, NOW! PRESIDENT DJT” on Truth Social a week ago.
The House Ag Committee approved its bill earlier in March with the support of seven Democrats, and the measure now heads to the House floor. On the sidelines of the White House event, the panel's Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson told Agri-Pulse that while the bill already "had a pathway to the floor," the president's comments "help, perhaps, with a vote count."
Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., says his panel will move on the farm bill in “weeks, not months and months” instead of waiting for it to first pass the full House.
Trump did not specify the amount or what funding bill additional farm aid should be moved in, but lawmakers are eyeing a war supplemental spending bill to move the measure.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Thursday lawmakers have been talking about $7 billion in disaster assistance to go with the $15 billion or more in economic aid, for a total package cost of up to $22 billion. House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson told Agri-Pulse Newsmakers he would like to see $10 billion of that economic aid total earmarked for specialty crop growers and $200 million for forestry.
“Our farmers and agricultural producers do not want handouts. They really don't,” Trump said. “The farmers come to my office a lot and they say sir, please just give us a level playing field.”
Trump also touted the Environmental Protection Agency’s temporary waiver to allow summertime sales of higher ethanol-gasoline blends issued this week and reaffirmed his commitment to year-round sales of the higher-ethanol blend fuel, which could bring gasoline prices down for consumers as the war in the Middle East upends fuel prices.
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“Just as I promised in the campaign, I'm seeking congressional action to allow E15 all year-round,” Trump said. “I'm trusting speaker Johnson and Leader Thune – two good men – I'm trusting them to find a deal that works for farmers, consumers and refiners, including small and mid-sized refiners, and they're going to send me a bill and we should be able to get that done.”
After the year-round E15 provision wasn’t included in a January supplemental spending bill, the issue was deferred to the E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council with a goal of putting forward a legislative solution by February.
Lawmakers will be starting a two-week recess without notable progress on the provision. Disagreement among oil refiners remains a major hurdle for enacting legislation, or even unveiling a legislative proposal.
“We've worked with the refiners before, and then we're going to get that done,” Trump added.
Numerous Republican members of the Senate and House were in attendance at the White House event, including Sens. John Hoeven of North Dakota, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska; House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson of Pennsylvania; and Reps. Jim Baird, Mark Messmer and Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Randy Feenstra and Zach Nunn of Iowa, Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Brad Finstad and Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota, Adrian Smith of Nebraska, Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, Tracey Mann of Kansas and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.
“Those were people that were the most, I would say, the most aggressive, for the farmer. Which is what we want,” Trump said while recognizing each member by name. “Other than me, they were right in there.”
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, who leads the nation’s largest farm and ranch organization, was seated next to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler also sat in the front row.
The CEO of Tractor Supply Co. also attended the event and told the president the company would open its 2,500th store in honor of America's 250th anniversary this year.
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