Trump Says USDA Will Launch $8 Billion Harvest Fuel Relief Program for Farmers
Trump credits Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall for fighting for the diesel-cost offset program aimed at helping farmers during harvest season.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch a new Harvest Fuel Relief Program, providing $8 billion to offset diesel costs for farmers during harvest season.
The announcement credited Sen. Roger Marshall, the Kansas Republican, as the lawmaker who fought to secure the program. Trump shared the remarks through a screenshot of a post from the Rapid Response 47 account, the official rapid-response communications arm of the 47th president’s administration.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Rapid Response 47 RAPID RESPONSE @Rapid Response47 .@POTUS IN KANSAS: “I’m also pleased to announce that @USDA will be launching a new Harvest Fuel Relief Program, providing our farmers with $8B in support to offset diesel costs during this harvest season- and @RogerMarshallMD is the leader who fought for that to happen.”” on October 20, 2026 at 12:43 AM ET.
This is Trump’s first message released today, and the last post was 3 days ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 38 of his 508 posts over the last 30 days classified as Domestic Policy posts.
The quoted remarks placed Trump in Kansas, where he said the USDA would administer the new program. Diesel fuel represents one of the largest variable costs for American grain and row-crop operations. Harvest season typically runs from late summer through autumn across the Great Plains and Midwest.
An $8 billion allocation, if implemented, would rank among the larger direct-payment programs aimed at agricultural producers in recent years. The post did not specify whether the funding would flow through direct payments, fuel rebates, or another mechanism. It also did not detail a timeline for distribution.
Marshall, a physician-turned-politician who represents Kansas in the U.S. Senate, received direct credit in the remarks for championing the initiative. The post did not clarify whether the program would apply to all farmers nationally or target specific regions or crop types.
Farmers across the country face fluctuating diesel prices that can swing operational budgets by thousands of dollars per acre during planting and harvest windows. A program of this scale could reduce per-gallon costs for producers who rely on heavy machinery, grain dryers, and trucking fleets to move crops from field to market.
Zenger analysis
Photo by Zenger analysis
President Trump is the author of The Art of the Deal, Think Like a Billionaire, and Think Big. Analyst and Trump supporter Rod Martin points to The Art of the Deal, Trump's 1987 book, as an explanation of his deal-making philosophy: making big announcements, pivoting often in public statements and, Martin says, ultimately getting what he wanted all along. Critics contend that Trump's books were published decades ago or were aimed at making money, not shedding light. "Generally," Martin said, "critics don't read The Art of the Deal. If they did, they would understand."