The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $150 million in financial assistance for sugar producers, offering support similar to the Farmer Bridge Assistance programme introduced late last year, Kx News reported.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the funding is intended to serve as a bridge while recent changes to the U.S. sugar programme take effect. She noted that the updates include the first significant increase in sugar loan rates in four decades, introduced under President Donald Trump and backed by Republican lawmakers in Congress.
Following the announcement, Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, said the assistance would help sugar producers manage market disruptions and rising production costs. He added that the new funding builds on the earlier Farmer Bridge Assistance programme.
The USDA said it will coordinate with sugar processors in the coming months to finalise agreements that will ensure the assistance reaches farmer-members directly.
