US President Trump Announces USD 19 Bn Relief Package For Farmers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

US President Donald Trump announced a $19 billion rescue package on Friday to help the agriculture industry in the country.

Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump announced a $19 billion rescue package on Friday to help the agriculture industry in the country. The United States has become the global epicentre for the pandemic and has the largest number of positive cases in the world. According to data by Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE), John Hopkins University the total confirmed cases in the US have reached 7,01,475. The pandemic has also had a massive impact on the economy and Trump has recently hinted at lifting the lockdown in phases and reactivating the economy. Regarding the package for the farmers, Trump said that "This will help our farmers and our ranchers, and it is money well deserved," Trump said on Friday at a White House press briefing, adding the USDA will receive another $14 billion in July for further assistance. According to Reports by IANS, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that the program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted by the pandemic. The report also said that USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels and other foodservice entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat. The pandemic has impacted agriculture and according to reports it has also disrupted the supply chains. Last month, 48 agriculture groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), called on Congress to expand the USDA's borrowing authority to assist farmers and ranchers facing serious cash flow challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. "We look forward to additional details about how the aid will be distributed," American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall said on Friday in a statement about the package announced by the President.