USDA Mailing Trade Aid Checks

Farm Service Agency director Richard Fordyce says the first payments are being mailed out now, and farmers are reporting receiving the checks.

Round one of the three potential payments is 50% of the overall amount farmers may receive.

USDA expects up to $14.5 billion of payments will be sent to farmers, pending on the trade negotiation progress.

Another 25% of the total would go out later this fall, if the Department of Agriculture deems the payments necessary.

The final round, if needed, is planned for some time around January.

The payments are meant to offset the losses stemmed from the Trump trade agenda and trade war with China.

Payments are also available for dairy and hog producers, under certain reporting parameters.

This is the second time the Trump administration has used the Market Facilitation Program since the trade war with China began.