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Ag sector watching as Supreme Court considers the legality of President Trump’s use of tariffs

All eyes are on the Supreme Court this week as it considers the legality of President Trumps’ tariff actions. 

Rusty Rumley is a senior staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center.

“The administration was not successful in the lower court or the court of appeals,” he says. “They asked for an expedited appeal from SCOTUS and they received it. We don’t know how long it’s going to take to get a decision. It could be months and it could be more than a couple of months.”

The administration has said it plans to use tariff revenue to fund trade relief payments. But, Rumley tells Brownfield it’s unclear if the Supreme Court’s final decision could impact the timing of farmer assistance.

“When we had the same situation during the first Trump administration, the USDA used the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund those payments,” he says. “That funding right now is low.”

The USDA says it will not distribute any emergency relief to farmers until the government reopens. 

AUDIO: Rusty Rumley, National Agricultural Law Center