Other Ag News:

WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 13, 2025 — Brooke Rollins was sworn in as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a private ceremony today at the Supreme Court building. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rollins by a vote of 72-to-28.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net

Washington, DC, February 12, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) organized more than 130 farmers, ranchers, and community advocates to call for urgent action on Capitol Hill around the ongoing federal funding freeze and critical farm bill and appropriations priorities. Coalition members held nearly 150 meetings with key members of Congress, including House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders and agriculture appropriators. Farmers and advocates from across the nation have gathered to share stories of how continued uncertainty and confusion from USDA and Congress are resulting in real-world impacts on farms and communities. 

“The new Congress must make it a top priority to immediately halt and rectify the ongoing federal funding freeze before there are irreversible and devastating impacts to farmers and communities. Farmers are delaying planting decisions and owed tens of thousands of dollars in contract payments for infrastructure the federal government agreed to support months ago. Organizations are laying off staff, canceling events and programs, and halting critical community services for the hungry. This serves no one – it creates uncertainty, wastes money, and destroys trust in the federal government,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.

“We are entering our third year without a new farm bill, amidst a monthslong delay in FY25 appropriations and a new budget resolution that proposes hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to farm bill programs. We need leadership from lawmakers that is accountable to the needs of producers and communities. We are on the Hill to deliver that message and share our priorities today,” Lavender added.

The Coalition is calling on members of Congress to:

• Act to ensure USDA honors its legal obligations and releases payments to farmers and organizations on signed contracts without delay to avoid causing any further impacts to farmers and the organizations that work with them.
• Enact swift passage of a fiscal year (FY) 25 spending bill that sustains funding for critical sustainable agriculture programs.
• Develop a new, comprehensive, and bipartisan farm bill that addresses Coalition priorities to advance conservation, reform the farm safety net, build resilient food and farm systems, and much more.

NSAC has been a leader in agricultural policy for more than 35 years and has been instrumental in helping to develop some of our nation’s most successful agricultural programs for conserving natural resources, advancing the next generation of farmers, supporting agricultural research, and creating sustainable market connections. 

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net

The post Release: Frozen Funding, Stalled Programs, Farm Bill Impacts: Farmers, Ranchers, and Advocates Elevate Urgent Priorities on Capitol Hill appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

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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, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) expressed anger over the continued uncertainty and confusion borne by farmers and rural communities following weeks of mixed messages from the new Administration.

“During the past several weeks, we have heard directly from countless farmers and food system stakeholders who have been told, without explanation, that their grant or contract payments have been paused or that they cannot be reimbursed despite a signed lawful contract. Until USDA honors its commitments, farms and rural jobs will continue to be threatened, even lost,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.

On January 20, President Trump issued several Executive Orders that have frozen federal spending widely, resulting in delays, cancellations, and halted projects that directly and daily serve farmers, families, and rural and urban communities in every US state. Although a government-wide memo implementing a broad funding freeze across government agencies and programs was later rescinded and two court orders have since ordered federal funding to restart, funding remains frozen across USDA research, technical assistance, marketing, and conservation programs. Neither lawmakers nor USDA officials can answer questions about why the freeze continues despite court orders nor when it will be lifted to allow the continuation of projects and programs in communities and on farms. 

“The bipartisan Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 that President Trump signed into law has guided much of USDA’s spending in recent years. Unlawful pauses to these authorized programs or terminations of their grants must be lifted immediately to avoid further impact on jobs and livelihoods. The Administration, including the Office of Management and Budget, must provide clarifying guidance to USDA and the public lifting all pauses and beginning reimbursements,” Lavender added.

Select Impacts of Continued Funding Pauses or Delays:

• Farmers are being told that their NRCS conservation contract payments are paused, leading not only to lost opportunity to implement or complete conservation efforts but leaving farmers with the threat of insurmountable debt.
• Cutting off critical technical assistance that farmers rely on for market access, conservation, and more from trusted community partners.
• Organizations are preparing for layoffs or delaying new hires in rural communities due to funding uncertainty, exacerbating unemployment and creating economic uncertainty.
• Cancelling conferences and farmer training.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

The post Release: Unlawful Federal Funding Freeze Causing Confusion and Harm on Farms and in Communities Nationwide appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.