Craig Griffune

So Rob and his team at the USDA make some detailed calculations. Which crops are affected? By how much? How much money do we have? Who is eligible? And they come up with a formula. And they use it to launch a program that gets a fun name, the Market Facilitation Program. And farmers apply for funds at their local USDA office.

So Rob and his team at the USDA make some detailed calculations. Which crops are affected? By how much? How much money do we have? Who is eligible? And they come up with a formula. And they use it to launch a program that gets a fun name, the Market Facilitation Program. And farmers apply for funds at their local USDA office.

Finally, in January 2020, the U.S. and China strike a deal. It's known as the Phase One Trade Deal. There is a lot in it, including reducing tariffs and a commitment from China to buy more stuff. And for Rob and the farmers, this includes promises from China to buy more from American farms.

Finally, in January 2020, the U.S. and China strike a deal. It's known as the Phase One Trade Deal. There is a lot in it, including reducing tariffs and a commitment from China to buy more stuff. And for Rob and the farmers, this includes promises from China to buy more from American farms.

Finally, in January 2020, the U.S. and China strike a deal. It's known as the Phase One Trade Deal. There is a lot in it, including reducing tariffs and a commitment from China to buy more stuff. And for Rob and the farmers, this includes promises from China to buy more from American farms.

Ag products like corn and pork and soybeans. And with that, the trade war ends with a deal.

Ag products like corn and pork and soybeans. And with that, the trade war ends with a deal.

Ag products like corn and pork and soybeans. And with that, the trade war ends with a deal.

What did people think of the market facilitation program, the program that sent checks to farmers? Well, some government watchdogs and politicians and farmers have criticized the program. Some felt that there wasn't enough transparency or that the decision to distribute this much money should have been left to Congress.

What did people think of the market facilitation program, the program that sent checks to farmers? Well, some government watchdogs and politicians and farmers have criticized the program. Some felt that there wasn't enough transparency or that the decision to distribute this much money should have been left to Congress.

What did people think of the market facilitation program, the program that sent checks to farmers? Well, some government watchdogs and politicians and farmers have criticized the program. Some felt that there wasn't enough transparency or that the decision to distribute this much money should have been left to Congress.

In the end, hundreds of farms did go bankrupt. Small to medium farms were hit the hardest. But it would have been way worse without the emergency CCC funds. So how did some of the farmers feel about it?

In the end, hundreds of farms did go bankrupt. Small to medium farms were hit the hardest. But it would have been way worse without the emergency CCC funds. So how did some of the farmers feel about it?

In the end, hundreds of farms did go bankrupt. Small to medium farms were hit the hardest. But it would have been way worse without the emergency CCC funds. So how did some of the farmers feel about it?

It's a Band-Aid. Yeah, the Band-Aid did not fix everything. And also, something fundamental had been lost. There has been lasting damage now to the trade relationships that had been years in the making.

It's a Band-Aid. Yeah, the Band-Aid did not fix everything. And also, something fundamental had been lost. There has been lasting damage now to the trade relationships that had been years in the making.

It's a Band-Aid. Yeah, the Band-Aid did not fix everything. And also, something fundamental had been lost. There has been lasting damage now to the trade relationships that had been years in the making.

And some of the deals between American farmers and Chinese buyers never came back.

And some of the deals between American farmers and Chinese buyers never came back.

And some of the deals between American farmers and Chinese buyers never came back.