Trump Rolls Out Ag Relief at Historic White House Farm Gathering
President announces record biofuel mandates, equipment deregulation, and loan guarantees as farmers face rising fuel and fertilizer costs tied to the Iran conflict
President Donald Trump welcomed what he called “the single largest gathering of American farmers the White House has ever seen” on Friday, hosting hundreds of farmers, ranchers, and agriculture executives on the South Lawn for the “Great American Agriculture Celebration” — and using the occasion to unveil a series of policy actions aimed at bolstering the farm economy.
The event, held under clear skies on the South Lawn, featured a prominent gold tractor parked on the lawn. Trump called attention to the tractor before joking about taking it for himself, drawing laughs from the crowd.
Trump was joined by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler.
Record-high biofuel blending requirements. The centerpiece announcement was the EPA’s finalization of its long-awaited Renewable Fuel Standard “Set 2” rule. In the 20th year of the Renewable Fuel Standard program, the White House established renewable fuel volume requirements for 2026 and 2027 at the highest levels in program history. Link for details.
Rollins hailed the announcement. “Today’s announcement is truly historic for our nation’s farmers and energy producers,” Rollins said, adding that the historically high volumes are expected to create a $3 to $4 billion increase in net farm income and generate a $31 billion value for American corn and soybean oil for biofuel production in 2026.
EPA estimates the rule will generate more than $10 billion for rural economies and create more than 100,000 new jobs in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
E15 emergency order and congressional push. Trump also touted action on gasoline blends. “To help lower gasoline prices for farmers and consumers, this week I issued an emergency order to allow immediate sales of E15 — and just as I promised in the campaign, I’m seeking Congressional action to allow E15 all-year-round,” Trump told the crowd.
Farm equipment deregulation. Among the changes Trump announced was easing EPA rules regarding pollution sensors for tractors and other farm equipment — a move the administration says will save the sector $14 billion. Trump framed the move as long overdue, saying his administration would be “cutting out massive amounts of nonsense” mandated on tractors and trucks, and predicted that equipment companies would soon “be able to produce a bigger, better tractor at substantially less money.”
Details: EPA announced new guidance that removes Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sensor requirements for diesel equipment, including tractors, trucks, and other farm machinery. The action is expected to save farmers and equipment operators billions of dollars annually by reducing downtime and costly repairs associated with DEF system failures.
Trump highlighted the impact of these changes for the agriculture industry. “Today we’re announcing new guidelines drastically limiting these ridiculous DEF rules, saving farmers and consumers billions and billions of dollars,” he said.
Trump also spoke about the rising complexity and cost of modern farm equipment. “When you buy a tractor today, you spend 50% of your time fixing the environmental — I say environmental impact statement garbage that’s on the tractor,” he said. He added that equipment often includes computerized systems that can shut down tractors unnecessarily, increasing repair costs.
The president said he is urging manufacturers to reduce equipment prices for farmers. Trump publicly pressed companies like John Deere, CNH, and Caterpillar to cut tractor and equipment prices. “Cutting out massive amounts of nonsense that are mandated to be put on your tractors, that all of your trucks that cost you a fortune… You got to promise me one thing: You’re not going to take any profits. You’re going to lower the cost of a tractor,” Trump told the farm equipment executives. “I want John Deere and Case and all of the great companies … to give it to you in the form of lower tractor and equipment costs. And I think it’s going to have a huge impact,” Trump said.
He added that future tractors will be simpler, more reliable, and less expensive. “They’re going to be able to very shortly produce a bigger, better tractor and substantially less money. It’s going to be more reliable. It’s not going to be turning off every 15 seconds because a computer went haywire that you don’t need,” he said.
The EPA’s guidance is part of a broader effort to address complaints from farmers, truckers, and other diesel equipment operators about DEF system failures that cause equipment shutdowns. Officials say the move will reduce lost productivity while still allowing manufacturers to monitor emissions effectively.
Loan guarantees and small business support. Trump also promoted increased government loan guarantees for agriculture products WWMT, with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler on hand to underscore the administration’s commitment to rural small business support.
The loan guarantees will cover vegetable, grain, and seed farmers; cattle, pig, poultry and egg producers; as well as grocery wholesalers. The Small Business Administration will administer the guarantees. The White House says the moves will help reduce input costs for growers and wholesalers and bring down grocery costs for American consumers. Guarantees could be increased up to ~90%, aimed at improving credit access amid tight margins.
The loans will also be accessible to those in fishing as well as wholesalers of farm and garden machinery, refrigerated truckers, and those dealing in warehousing and storage.
The farm bill and tariff relief. Trump used the occasion to press Congress to pass a farm bill, which has grown increasingly partisan in recent years. He also highlighted the $12 billion in tariff-derived assistance the administration has already sent to farmers. “We gave our farmers who have been mistreated by some countries, we gave them $12 billion and they’re extremely happy. And they deserve it. They’ve been great,” Trump said.
Of note: Trump said he will seek additional farmer financial relief from Congress.
A political backdrop: Iran, costs, and the farm base. The announcements come amid significant economic pressure on American agriculture. The national average for a gallon of diesel fuel was $5.38 on Friday — nearly $2 per gallon higher than a year ago — arriving just as farmers gear up for the spring planting season. Fertilizer prices have also climbed sharply in recent weeks, tied in part to the ongoing military operation in Iran and resulting disruption to shipping in the region.
Bottom Line:
• Most market-moving: RFS expansion → bullish for soybean oil, corn, biofuels
•Near-term cash flow support: SBA loan guarantees
•Cost-side relief: Diesel/emissions rule changes
• Still pending: Additional direct aid + farm bill
This was a mixed package of immediate cost relief + demand-side support, with the RFS decision doing the heavy lifting economically — while the rest (loans, equipment pressure, future aid) fills in around margins.
“You want that fair shot and a level playing field, and I’m giving that to you, and I think I’m actually giving you much better than a level playing field,” Trump told the assembled farmers. “You voted for me. I’ll never forget that.”
