White House Requests $11 Billion in Farmer Aid

Progressive Farmer’s Jake Zajkowski and Chris Clayton reported that “the White House on Wednesday asked Congress to pass a supplemental funding package that includes a request for $11.1 billion for farmers and calls for Congress to pass year-round E15.” “The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent a request for $87.6 billion in supplemental funding to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. The lion’s share of that request — $67.1 billion — was for the War Department,” Zajkowski and Clayton reported. “In the letter, though, President Donald Trump and his staff requested $10 billion in ‘temporary economic assistance for row and specialty crops planted in crop year 2026.’ An additional $1.1 billion was requested specifically for farmers in Florida ‘to rebound from devastating losses that were the result of crippling storms this past winter.'”

Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “the new funding would add to $12 billion in aid the administration has already disbursed to farmers this year, as the industry sags under high ​production costs and low crop prices, made worse by Trump’s current ​trade policies and the war with Iran. Farm and industry groups have ⁠said that money was key to helping farmers prepare for spring planting, but insufficient ​to make them whole.” “If the White ​House request is approved, the administration would be forecast ​to send ⁠about $55.4 billion in direct payments to farmers this year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data,” Douglas reported. “That would comprise roughly 33% of total farm income in 2026, the highest ⁠level ​in direct payments since 2001, according to Wesley ​Davis, a partner at Meridian Agribusiness Advisors, an agricultural economics consultancy.”

Lawmakers Had Been Eyeing $17 Billion in Farmer Aid

E&E News’ Meredith Lee Hill and Grace Yarrow reported yesterday that “farm-state Senate Republicans and White House officials are discussing the possibility of attaching billions of dollars in aid for farmers hit by President Donald Trump’s tariffs to an Iran war funding package, ramping up a monthslong push from lawmakers as the administration tries to land a war funding package, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.” “GOP lawmakers, including Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota and Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman of Arkansas, are pushing to add $17.2 billion in farmer assistance to the potential package, according to four people involved in the talks who, like others in this report, were granted anonymity to discuss private conversations,” Lee Hill and Yarrow reported.

White House Also Calls on Congress to Approve Year-Round E15 Sales

Reuters’ Jarrett Renshaw reported that “President Donald Trump’s White House asked Congress on Wednesday to pass a law allowing year-round sales of gasoline containing higher volumes of ethanol, reviving a long-sought priority of the biofuels industry.” “While Trump has long backed year-round sales ​of gasoline blended with 15% ethanol, the decision marks the first formal push ​by his White House to enact the policy and signals a willingness ⁠to challenge U.S. refiners that have opposed the measure over concerns it could raise costs ​and complicate fuel distribution,” Renshaw reported. “… In (the) supplemental bill released on ​Wednesday, the White House Office of Management and Budget asked Congress to address the ‘urgent ​and needed fix that codifies the permanent, year-round sale of E-15.'”

🚨OMB’s EXACT language re: #E15: “The Administration requests a fix that codifies the permanent, year-round sale of E-15, an urgent and needed policy change that would expand consumer choice, support domestic fuel production, and provide additional flexibility in fuel markets.” pic.twitter.com/uPrxmtL4Tf

— Corey Lavinsky (@biofuelslaw) June 24, 2026

Agri-Pulse’s Kim Chipman and Lydia Johnson reported that “an E15 bill passed by the House last month isn’t likely to be taken up by the Senate due to a controversial provision related to the exemption of oil refineries from national biofuel-blending rules. Instead, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said he aims to move a stand-alone E15 bill onto the chamber floor for a vote, though it’s not yet clear what such a measure would entail.” “Pro-biofuel lawmakers have said they’re in favor of any legislative vehicle for E15 that can realistically get a bill through Congress,” Chipman and Johnson reported. “Expansion of domestic renewable fuel markets is seen as crucial to ensure long-term demand for corn and soybean farmers.”