Trump Bailout for Trade-Hit U.S. Farmers Expected This Week

By Leah Douglas and Bo Erickson

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (Reuters) – The Trump administration is expected to announce a plan as soon as Tuesday to bail out U.S. farmers stung by trade disputes and big harvests, with the initial outlay potentially totaling up to $15 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The plan, however, could be difficult to roll out as an ongoing government shutdown prevents the kind of Congressional action needed to approve such a large payout, and existing government reserves fall short, the sources said.