US TO BUY $3-B FARM GOODS AS PRODUCERS LOSE BILLIONS

President Trump vowed on Saturday, May 9, to purchase at least $3 billion worth of dairy, meat and crops from farmers, who have been losing billions as meat processors, restaurants and fastfood chains have been shuttered across the United States.

Trump’s promise comes two months late as farmers have been killing millions of their hogs, dumping millions of quarts of milk and uprooting vegetables as demand went underwater while unemployment rates skyrocketed to 14.7% and food queues grew by leaps and bounds.

“Starting early next week, at my order, the USA will be purchasing, from our Farmers, Ranchers & Specialty Crop Growers, 3 Billion Dollars worth of Dairy, Meat & Produce for Food Lines & Kitchens,” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

Despite Trump’s announcement, Reuters reporters Makini Brice and Chris Prentice said on May 10 that it is not clear whether the money for this would come from the $19-billion relief plan announced by the US Department of Agriculture (DA) in April that also mentioned purchase of $3 billion worth of agricultural commodities. #coronavirusimpact #COVID19