U.S. farmers could receive cash from Trump aid plan by September: Perdue

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - U.S. farmers could receive cash payments from a planned $12 billion aid package as soon as late September, United States Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told Reuters on Saturday, adding that the program will not make farmers whole.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue speaks at an interview with Reuters during the G20 Meeting of Agriculture Ministers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 28, 2018. REUTERS/Martin Acosta

Perdue said in an interview on the sidelines of the G20 meeting of agriculture ministers in Buenos Aires that the plan would include between $7 billion and $8 billion in direct cash relief.

U.S. growers are expected to take an estimated $11 billion hit due to Chinese retaliatory tariffs after Washington placed tariffs on Chinese goods.

“Obviously this is not going to make farmers whole,” Perdue said.

Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Sandra Maler

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