President Donald Trump recently announced a new fuel relief program that will provide farmers with $8 billion in aid to help offset diesel costs during the harvest season.
Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Trump Administration will allocate $8 billion in one-time payments to American producers economically harmed by the ongoing fuel crisis and high diesel prices.
“Today, I am proud to announce alongside President Trump [that] more targeted relief is coming to our farmers through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program,” Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said. “This $8 billion investment will help bring certainty to our farmers during this harvest so they can continue to feed our nation.”
How Will The USDA Calculate a Farmer's Relief?
According to the USDA, the Harvest Fuel Relief (HFR) program will use a “uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2026 crop year” to calculate how much relief producers will receive.
“This national loss average will be based on [Farm Service Agency]-reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices.
The FSA will administer the program payments.
Who Qualifies?
Commodity-specific payment rates for Title I commodities under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act will be released in Nov. 2026.
“Producers of non-Title I commodities, such as specialty crop growers and fishermen, are encouraged to provide data related to increased fuel costs to [email protected] for USDA’s consideration when determining payment rates.”
USDA Recommends Use of New America.gov Website
The USDA recommends that eligible farmers create a Login.gov/America.gov account ahead of the application period announcement. A pre-filled application will be available online to farmers with an account linked to USDA.
Trump Efforts To Help With Diesel Costs
President Trump’s announcement follows a series of efforts to provide fuel relief for Americans nationwide as the affordability crisis and increased fuel costs persist ahead of the midterms.
Two weeks prior, President Trump signed an executive order allowing tax-free off-road diesel on highways.
On Oct. 9, President Trump also announced a highly controversial agreement with Russia that would supply roughly 1.8 million tons of diesel fuel by the end of 2026.
