Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- President Donald Trump's $12 billion aid package largely excludes Utah farmers as it targets row crops.
- Utah farmers face economic challenges with high costs, low profits and unclear aid details.
- Relief may arrive next year with a new farm bill amid inflation tariffs and labor issues.
SALT LAKE CITY — President Donald Trump announced a $12 billion aid package aimed at helping the nation's struggling farmers. But Utah farmers may not see much of that relief — at a time when costs are high, and profits are low.
The bulk of that money — about $11 billion — will go toward row farming, which includes crops like corn and grain.
In Utah, most farms don't fall under that category. So really, farmers here are hopeful they can make it through to early next year when the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" is expected to bolster their bottom lines.
For many, the situation feels dire.
"It's been really hard," Matt Hargreaves, with the Utah Farm Bureau, told KSL.
Farming is a way of life for thousands of Utahns. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farming sales make up $2.3 billion annually in Utah. But profits and losses can vary greatly year to year.
Hargreaves said the challenges are mounting.
"Farmers throughout our country have had some hard times economically," he said. "This is on the back of historic inflation, and they're receiving some of the lowest prices they've seen in quite some time."
While the president's announcement brought hope to some, Hargreaves said details remain unclear.
"A lot of details are still up in the air," he said. "It's not clear what the new farm aid plan will offer to Utah farmers who may not qualify for funds."
Trump expressed confidence in the plan during remarks Tuesday.
"We gave the farmers a little help, $12 billion, and they are so happy, and all they want is a level playing field, and now it's happening, and the tariffs are making them rich. It's gonna be, you're gonna see, you're gonna see what happens over the next two years," Trump said in a press conference.
But in Utah, relief may not come until next year when the updated farm bill could provide support. Until then, farmers face what Hargreaves calls a "perfect storm" — inflation, tariffs and labor shortages.
"Farmers are indispensable," he said. "They are the bedrock of our community, the fabric of our culture. Because of what they do, it allows all of us to do what we want to do."
