A Louisiana Congresswoman introducing a new bill on Capitol Hill to help pay back farmers impacted by the Trump administration's tariffs.The bill would essentially create a dedicated fund to be used for trade-related losses. June 30, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
MARIBEL, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A Louisiana congresswoman has introduced a new bill on Capitol Hill to help pay back farmers impacted by the Trump administration’s tariffs.
The bill would essentially create a dedicated fund to be used for trade-related losses. It would impact farmers nationwide, including right here in Northeast Wisconsin.
Ongoing tariffs from the Trump administration have forced American farmers to stop and think.
“It is a loss. It’s more of a loss this year than it was last year,” Maribel farmer Michael Slattery said.
Slattery farms grain crops like corn, soybeans and winter wheat. He says tariffs have set him and his farm back financially.
“I think the tariffs are ineffective. Why are they ineffective? Because they’re destroying our markets and major markets. We cannot readily replace China as a major market for soybeans,” Slattery said.
Slattery said his losses are not only from tariffs, but also over-production. Still, he worries tariffs will continue to cause damage to American farmers.
President Donald Trump implemented tariffs on countries like China to protect the U.S. from unfair trade practices.
“President Trump knows how to negotiate, and he knows that he is governing the best country and the best economy in this world on this planet, and every country on the planet needs to have good trade relationships with the United States,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The new bill is being proposed by Republican Louisiana Rep. Julia Letlow. The goal is to create a “Tariff Responses and Damages to Exports” or “TRADE” fund to help pay farmers back for losses caused by tariffs.
In a press release on Letlow’s website, she said:
The president would then have the ability to deposit tariff revenues we collect on imported ag product into this account. Then, these funds could then be used to offset losses suffered by American producers due to market changes as a result of the tariffs.
Letlow said getting farmers the extra cash is crucial, but a proposal like this isn’t necessarily what Wisconsin farmers want.
“We’ve got good relations, so why have we gotten to the point where now farmers are going to depend on the government for a check to make sure that they maybe survive for the year?” Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden said.
Von Ruden said many farmers in Wisconsin are on edge because of so much uncertainty with prices and tariffs. He said if prices stay where they’re at, Wisconsin farmers will lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
As for the proposed bill, most farmers like Slattery would rather see fair trade return and get their income from the market place, especially since he says U.S. farmers are competitive with the rest of the world.
“Because then, I determine my own destiny. I’m not waiting on the government for a handout or a subsidy,” Slattery said.
According to Letlow’s website, it’s unknown when the bill could be voted on.
July 9 will mark the end of Trump’s 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries. Unless those nations reach deals with the U.S., they could face even higher tariffs.
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