Source: POLTICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 3/18/19

The Agriculture Department has paid $8 billion to farmers under the trade-relief program for certain commodities, a USDA spokesperson told MA, out of the estimated $9.6 billion set aside for direct payments.

It's unclear exactly how much money producers will ultimately receive under the program. USDA paid farmers about $5.2 billion in 2018 and is projected to pay another $3.5 billion this year, totaling $8.7 billion, according to the department's 2019 farm income forecast released earlier this month.

Commodity buy-ups: Some producers are waiting to receive money under a separate $1.2 billion commodity purchase program, also aimed at helping producers burned by retaliatory tariffs, the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting writes.

An analysis conducted by the nonprofit media outlet said the department has ordered just 11 percent of the food it has promised to buy and redistribute to food banks, school lunches and other programs. (A USDA spokesperson didn't answer questions from MA about how much money has been spent so far on commodity purchases.)