The transition from one fiscal year to the next is not something that typically dominates headlines. In fact, as the calendar turns from September 30 to October 1 – when the federal government begins a new fiscal year – the less attention the better. Yet when Congress and the President are unable to reach an […]
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USDA Staffing Crisis: Conservation Staff Losses Will Further Undermine Services to Farmers and Ranchers
On July 24, 2025, US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, issued memorandum SM-1078-015 outlining a proposed restructuring of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The plan was developed without meaningful engagement from farmers or other stakeholders. Since January 2025, USDA has already shed more than 18,000 employees, and the reorganization as proposed will likely drive […]
Comment: Without Input from Farmers and Experts, USDA Reorganization Would Close Offices and Lead to Staff Reductions
Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: Without Input from Farmers and Experts, USDA Reorganization Would Close Offices and Lead to Staff Reductions Washington, DC, July 24, 2025 – On Thursday, July 24, the US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, announced a reorganization of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The […]
What’s Really Inside the Final Budget Reconciliation Bill: A Breakdown of Food and Agriculture Provisions
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB, P.L. 119-21) into law. Spanning nearly 900 pages of legislative text, OBBB relies on draconian cuts to the American social safety net – including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – in order to fund an extension of 2017 […]
We Took Action to Defend Our Food System — Now It’s Your Turn
In anticipation of President Trump’s 100th day in office, a coalition of organizations from across the nation participated in a Week of Action between April 22 and April 29, 2025, to collectively highlight the disruption and attacks the administration has made on our food system and farmers. During the Week of Action, organizations coordinated efforts […]
USDA Programs Freeze: What We Know
Last Updated: April 29, 2025 For more than three months, billions of dollars of lawfully obligated USDA funding have been frozen or terminated. While the agency has still not made public the full scope of what remains frozen or targeted for termination, the harms to communities, farmers, and organizations are already clear. This blog post […]
USDA Begins Releasing Frozen REAP Funding
On January 20, 2025, President Trump’s executive order on American energy led to the freezing of projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including stopped payments to recipients of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). More than $911 million in obligated funds through REAP have been frozen. On […]
Broken Promises: Over 30,000 Farmers Denied Funds
Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an array of executive orders, a practice that has become common in recent years. However, abnormally, several of these executive orders triggered a pause on broad swaths of federal funding. As a result of this pause, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now […]
Release: Unlawful Federal Funding Freeze Causing Confusion and Harm on Farms and in Communities Nationwide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Unlawful Federal Funding Freeze Causing Confusion and Harm on Farms and in Communities Nationwide Secretary of Agriculture nominee Brooke Rollins must quickly restore order and ensure USDA honors its legal commitments to farmers, communities Washington, DC, February 7, 2025 – Today, […]
RELEASE: USDA REVERSAL ON PAYMENT LIMITS SELLS OUT FARMERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Eric Deeble, Policy DirectorNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalitionedeeble@sustainableagriculture.net USDA Reversal on Payment Limits Sells Out Farmers Trump Administration’s Reversal on Commodity Subsidy Payment Limits Will Promote Abuse of the System and Lead to Greater Consolidation Washington, DC, November 18th, 2020 – Today, the Trump Administration announced its intention to reverse a key reform element of the […]