The Trump administration has announced more than $15 billion in farm payments and agricultural initiatives in the weeks before the midterm elections, seeking to cushion producers from higher fuel and fertilizer costs that the article links largely to U.S. tariffs and the war in Iran.

The biggest component is an $8 billion one-time payment plan for farmers facing soaring diesel prices, though the USDA had not yet explained how or when the money would be distributed and said more details would come in November.

The aid comes as farmers contend with rising fuel, fertilizer and equipment expenses, alongside weaker demand for U.S. agricultural goods amid the trade conflict with China; AAA put diesel at $6.32 a gallon on the Friday before publication, 70% above a year earlier.

Separately, the USDA plans $13.8 billion in safety-net payments to eligible producers for the 2025 crop year, including growers of corn, soybeans, wheat and rice; a Kansas State University specialist said the one-time payments could more than offset higher fuel costs and help with fertilizer expenses.

Other support includes at least $5 billion in guaranteed loans for ranchers and fishermen, $1.8 billion for conservation-program participants, $573 million for fertilizer manufacturing, $57 million to expand meat processing and $86.6 million in specialty-crop grants, as well as purchases of up to $472.5 million in agricultural commodities.

The USDA also plans to expand sales of diesel usually restricted to off-road use, increase transparency in cattle-sale data and strengthen wolf-management policies to protect livestock.

Farmers and specialists said the temporary aid could keep some operations profitable this year, but it does not solve underlying cost pressures or provide the certainty needed for future borrowing and planting decisions; reactions range from welcome relief to seeing it as a one-time bailout.

The aid’s political impact is uncertain: rural voters have generally supported Trump and Republicans, but some are frustrated by policies affecting farm labor, exports and food assistance, while cost-of-living and health-care concerns also weigh on them.

Rather than switching to Democrats in strongly Republican states, some dissatisfied voters may stay home or vote independently, potentially affecting Republican candidates in competitive agricultural areas.

The announcement comes amid heightened campaign attention to rural states, with Trump planning visits to Iowa and Kansas on Sunday, two days before the election.