Trump Unveils $8 Billion Diesel Relief for Farmers

High diesel prices are squeezing U.S. farmers during harvest, with national averages reaching $6.30 per gallon on a recent Friday, more than 70 percent above year-ago levels according to AAA data. The increase adds roughly $2.50 per gallon compared with the prior season and coincides with broader rises in fertilizer, seed and other inputs tied to refinery constraints and supply issues. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects net farm income will fall 2.6 percent this year while total production expenses climb 4.5 percent and fuel-and-oil costs alone jump nearly 30 percent. President Trump announced in Kansas that the Agriculture Department will launch a harvest fuel relief program delivering $8 billion to offset those diesel expenses. He also referenced an earlier executive order easing limits on tax-free red-dyed diesel and a $12 billion aid package issued the previous December. The announcement came during a campaign-style appearance in Topeka where Trump urged voters to treat the midterms as if he were on the ballot. Kansas farmers and ranchers described tight margins and uncertainty about whether the new package will reach them in time or in sufficient amounts. Some noted that prior assistance has not fully offset the combined effects of higher input costs and reduced export markets. Republican Senate candidate Roger Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton in a race that has drawn unusually heavy outside spending, while similar competitive contests are underway in Iowa and Nebraska. Former Kansas lawmaker Don Hineman and several local voters said economic pressures have reduced enthusiasm among some traditional Republican supporters, though Kansas Farm Bureau president Glenn Brunkow said the frustrations have not yet translated into widespread shifts in voting preference.