New York farmers can begin applying for up to $25,000 in state relief under a $30 million aid programme aimed at offsetting the impact of tariffs imposed during US President Donald Trump’s administration, Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday.
Over the past year, Trump introduced a range of tariffs, including a global 10% levy and additional retaliatory measures on China, prompting Beijing to impose its own tariffs on US soybean exports.
“The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are reckless and damaging to so many of our industries, including our agricultural producers, who rely so heavily on the forces of international markets,” Hochul said in a statement.
“I promised to stand up and fight for our farmers and I’m proud that our Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program will provide the much-needed relief to New York’s farmers who feed our communities,” she added.
The programme, funded through a $30 million allocation in the state budget, will provide direct payments starting at $1,000 to eligible agricultural producers, including dairy farmers, livestock operators, specialty crop growers, and aquaculture businesses.
A study by North Dakota State University found that tariffs on agricultural input costs such as chemicals, fertilisers, and machinery generated about $958 million in federal revenue between February and October last year.
A large portion of Trump’s tariffs was previously ruled illegal by the US Supreme Court earlier this year, with importers now seeking refunds as the administration works to reintroduce similar measures under alternative legal authorities.
According to Hochul’s office, New York farmers face increased expenses of around $20,000 annually due to tariffs, including higher costs for grain and feed imports.
The Trump administration last week requested $11 billion in additional federal aid for farmers affected by higher fuel and fertiliser costs linked to the Iran war.
That request follows a separate $12 billion aid package announced in December for farmers impacted by earlier US trade policies.