The USDA has frozen funding for certain farm programs and conservation contracts, leaving farmers facing financial uncertainty and economic strain. (AP File)
- USDA funding freeze disrupts farm programs, impacting conservation efforts and financial stability for farmers.
- Missouri rancher warns his farm is at risk after USDA halted a $240,000 contract for water infrastructure.
- A USDA spokesperson said all federal agencies have been asked to review their programs.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has halted funding for certain farm programs and conservation contracts as part of a sweeping agency review, despite previous assurances from the Trump administration that such programs would not be affected, Reuters reported.
The freeze has disrupted funding for initiatives ranging from cattle watering systems to cover crops that prevent wind erosion.
Some of the frozen funds are linked to environmental conservation programs established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated $19.5 billion for farm initiatives over a decade. The White House initially proposed a broader freeze on federal loans and grants on Jan. 27 but later rescinded the plan.
A court has since temporarily blocked the measure. The White House declined to comment on the situation Friday.
Funding Pause Causes Uncertainty for Farmers
The funding pause has added financial uncertainty for farmers, already burdened by low crop prices in recent years. It also comes as a shock to many in the agricultural community, which has strongly supported Trump in past elections. During his first term, federal farm payments — including disaster relief and crop support — totaled approximately $217 billion.
Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, told the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday that farmers nationwide are reporting missing payments from USDA conservation programs. “Having USDA delayed with a lot of uncertainty about whether or not it will actually come through is adding to that economic pressure in the countryside,” he said.
Missouri cattle producer Skylar Holden said in a series of TikTok videos this week that his USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service contract for $240,000 — intended for water lines, fences, and a well — has been frozen.
USDA officials recently informed him that his Environmental Quality Incentives Program contract was on hold, with no clear timeline for when funds will be released.
“I’ve already done a bunch of the work, already paid for the material and the labor, so I’m out all that cost,” Holden said.
A USDA spokesperson said all federal agencies have been asked to review their programs.
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