King Donald bites the hands that feed us
Ayurella Horn-Muller & Lyndsey Gilpin
In all of the turmoil, the communication from the Department of Agriculture itself has lacked transparency and comprehensiveness.
We’ve heard over and over from our sources — farmers, food organizations, agricultural networks, and advocates across the country — that they remain confused and in search of reliable information.
Folks need clarity about what is happening, support during a difficult moment, and alternatives to the current faltering system.
So, in response to those needs, we’ve put together this information guide. Below you’ll find more details about the status of various USDA programs; resources for those struggling with financial and/or mental health hardships; and some conversation starters to help you envision a more resilient food economy.
The information below is based on Grist’s previous reporting on cuts to federal programs run by the departments of Agriculture and the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies; and compiled from sources including congressional documents and third-party funding trackers, in addition to reporting published by Civil Eats and Politico. This information guide was first published on August 6, 2025, and the lists of cancelled and frozen grants will be updated as the status of policies and funding programs change.
If you have information or tips regarding funding changes at the USDA, please contact ahornmuller@grist.org.
Cancelled USDA food and farming funding
The grants and programs below have been cancelled — in part or whole — by the Trump administration.
Regional Food Business Centers Program
This program was established by the Biden administration in 2023 with $360 million awarded to finalists to establish and boost regional supply chains through the implementation of 12 business centers, which would administer financial awards to farms and food businesses throughout the nation. This July, when the USDA terminated the program, a third of the centers were still in the process of launching and had not yet awarded grants — in part because the program’s funding had remained frozen since January. Those contracts were immediately cancelled. The USDA noted in a press release that the sites that have already awarded grants “will have the option to continue managing existing commitments” through May 2026.
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant
This program provided grants for projects that create market opportunities for agricultural and forest products produced using climate-smart practices and methods for quantification, monitoring, and verification of greenhouse-gas and carbon-sequestration benefits. About $3.1 billion in funding, authorized by USDA in 2023 as a linchpin of the Biden administration’s strategy to help farmers and ranchers mitigate climate change, was cancelled in April. After all of the initial grants were terminated, the funding pot was then repackaged into a new program without equity, climate, or sustainability benchmarks, and former grantees were invited to reapply — on the condition that their projects meet the new criteria.
Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program Grants
This program was created to address rising hunger and nutritional needs among school-age children by providing public schools with funding to source locally produced vegetables and fund food and agricultural education, supporting millions of students in tribal, rural, and urban communities nationwide. About $10 million in funding for 2025 was terminated in March, despite congressional authorization for the funding. As of now, funding awards are expected to resume next year.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program
This program was designed to supplement the diets of lower-income people by providing emergency food assistance at no cost to them. Recipients get actual food, not money. TEFAP also distributes “bonus” foods purchased by the USDA to support agricultural markets, with additional funding allocated by Congress under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation. About $500 million of funding allocated for TEFAP was abruptly cut by the USDA in late March, which has diminished charitable food donations and undercut farmers across the country. It is not clear whether the USDA plans to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds for future food purchases distributed through the program.
Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program; and Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement
Together, these two programs provided funding for schools and state, tribal, and territorial governments to purchase food produced within local and regional ranges to source more nutritious food and help farmers in their area. In March, Trump’s USDA terminated both programs, halting about $1.1 billion in federal spending.
Working Lands Conservation Corps
This program, under the Biden-era American Climate Corps, provided technical training and career opportunities for young people, “helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers nationwide.” Last spring, the USDA selected 28 organizations nationwide to host members of the agency’s Working Lands Climate Corps, or WLLC, in partnership with the Corps Network. The Corps Network, which oversaw the funding for WLLC, was expecting $500,000 in annual IRA-authorized funding, before the federal funding freeze and a subsequent termination of funding in early March led to the cancellation of all sub-agreements.
How to find out where your money stands
If you’re having trouble finding more information about the status of your funding, these resources may help:
- Contact your state and local elected officials.
- Contact your members of Congress.
- Join national coalitions, networks, advocacy groups, or alliances committed to following and organizing against the funding crisis.
- Follow the lawsuits filed against the federal government over frozen funds, and check out nonprofit policy change trackers and state federal funding trackers as well as congressional ones.
Full list of food and farming grants with payments frozen
The grants and programs below have, at one point in time, been frozen by the Trump administration. Though some grantees report that payments have resumed, other payments remained gridlocked. There is not yet any indication of whether or when all of the funding streams below will be reinstated. The USDA has not responded to multiple inquiries from Grist requesting status updates about these frozen funds. As one agricultural policy expert told Grist, the state of USDA communications around funding decisions has remained a “black box.”
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
- Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
- Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Borrowers
- American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program
- Bioproduct Pilot Program
- From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals
- Infrastructure Investment and Job Act Joint Fire Science Program (Research & Development)
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Ecosystem Restoration
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Capital Maintenance and Improvement
- Forest Service Reverse 911 Grant Program
- Forest and Grassland Collaboratives
- Conservation Outreach, Education and Technical Assistance
- Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
- Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
- Farmers Market Promotion Program
- Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program
- Regional Conservation Partnership Program
- Transition to Organic Partnership Program
- Urban Agriculture Cooperative Agreements
- Rural Energy for America Program
- Organic Market Development Grant
- Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program
- Local Food Promotion Program
What are the solutions?
In the short term, everyone is trying to find their own fixes and support systems. Here are a few we’ve heard about from a variety of food and farming organizations:
Community land trusts
There are local, regional, and national land trusts that are privately owned nonprofit organizations dedicated to conservation. Many offer economic aid to farmers and agricultural groups working to protect or better tend to local land. You can use digital resources like Land Trust Alliance to find one near you.
Finding support networks
- The Center for Nonprofit Excellence has a detailed list of tips to keep in mind if your nonprofit organization has been affected by a federal funding freeze, as well as a newsletter to stay updated. Learn more.
- Many states and regions have their own farming cooperatives and groups. For instance, the Carolina Farm Trust is a network of urban farmers in the Carolinas; Virginia has a host of cooperatives and associations; The California Food and Farming Network, in addition to hosting working groups on farmworker and food system issues, has a newsletter dedicated to sharing information about what’s happening to funding, programs, and more.
- Rural Advancement Foundation International, or RAFI, offers member resources such as the Farmers of Color Network and the Policy Action Network, and up-to-date advice for farmers with USDA loans or contracts, including flow charts for farmers who may be looking for guidance on how to navigate the USDA’s cuts and freezes.
- The Queer Farmers Network is a nonprofit organization that holds in-person gatherings, communicates via an online listserv, and shares information and resources for LGBTQ+ farmers, gardeners, and others working in the food system. (Read more about mental health among queer farmers here.)
- The Women, Food, and Agriculture Network offers resources, mentorship programs, and storytelling to support women and nonbinary farmers, landowners, urban gardeners, environmental educators, researchers, and community activists.
- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is an alliance of more than 130 member groups working to advocate for sustainable food and farm policy at the federal level. NSAC is closely following the federal funding situation as it affects small and midsize farms, natural resources, rural communities, and food security. They regularly post updates to their blog.
- National Young Farmers Coalition is a farmer-led coalition that advocates for equitable land access and supports young and diverse farmers nationwide. The organization also works to advance and support farmer mental health and build solutions to address the impact of agricultural systems on climate change.
- HEAL Food Alliance is a multisector, multiracial coalition made up of 55 organizations representing rural and urban farmers, fishers, farm and food-chain workers, Indigenous groups, scientists, public health advocates, policy experts, community organizers, and activists. The BIPOC-led coalition advocates for worker, racial, and environmental justice, as well as public access to food-supply-chain data.
Local and regional food hubs
Hyperlocal food cooperatives and hubs also typically provide community-centric resources and support for small local farmers and food businesses. In the foothills of Appalachian Ohio, groups like Rural Action offer financial aid and other forms of support for a range of sectors, including food and agriculture, and is a founding member of the Central Appalachian Network. In West Virginia, Coalfield Development is another example of an organization focused on building local economic power throughout community-powered food networks, while the Northeast Tennessee Local Food Network is a nonprofit cultivating a stronger, more resilient local food system by connecting farmers, businesses, and schools.
University extension services
Initially established through a partnership with the USDA and universities across the country in 1914, extension services were formed to build a bridge between farmers and ranchers and the federal food and farming agencies. With the support of local and regional experts, those working in the ag sector are provided with localized advice, trainings, and answers to their farming questions. Extension services operate in every U.S. state, and agents are typically housed at universities, though some services can be found with local offices of their own. Here’s a resource hosted by the Arkansas Extension Service to help find your closest extension service office.
Prioritizing your mental health
U.S. farmers are three and a half times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, so mental health services, like therapy, and building community are critical. (Here’s more information about the impact of farming on mental health.)
Here are some options if you or someone you know is struggling:
- Rural Advancement Foundation International, or RAFI, operates a hotline for farmers who may be in financial crisis or facing other distressing issues: Call 866-586-6746 Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.
- The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a program of the federal government, is available via text and phone call. (Please note: The Trump administration has floated the idea of defunding this program, but it is currently still operating.)
- Your state may have a hotline to call if you’re having thoughts of harming yourself, or if you just want to talk. For example, in Wisconsin, there are several resources specifically for farmers.
- The American Farm Bureau Federation offers a Farm State of Mind directory that aggregates a state- and regional-level list of helplines, alliances, and organizational resources for farmers and ranchers who may need mental health and wellness support.
- The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture operates the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, a program that “connects individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs.” (Please note that the changing federal funding landscape may have impacted the availability of government-backed resources like these.)
Imagining a sustainable future
A 2024 study found that environmental degradation, health impacts, and biodiversity loss all contribute to trillions of dollars of losses annually. Some of the solutions, the researchers said, include investing more in local and small farms and directing government subsidies to both farmers and consumers to support an equitable and resilient food economy.
The federal funding crisis is not without stories of hope and resilience. Here are stories to read as conversation starters about the possibility of building a more collaborative and sustainable food system. Follow Grist’s food and agricultural coverage for more.
If you have information or tips regarding food and ag funding changes, please contact ahornmuller@grist.org.
This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/food-and-agriculture/following-the-usda-food-and-farm-funding/.
Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org
