Ang Roell, a farmer and beekeeper in Massachusetts, had planned to install essential infrastructure for a newly planted orchard, including deer-proof fencing, irrigation, and mulch, backed by over $30,000 in federal grants. However, these grants are currently on hold, leaving Roell unable to protect and maintain the young chestnut trees and elderberry bushes. Roell explained that without the promised funds, there is a significant risk of losing these crops due to a lack of proper watering and deer protection. “The delay of time might not seem like a big deal for someone who is not a farmer. But it actually is,” Roell said.On his first day in office, Trump issued an executive order freezing funds tied to Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which included $19.5 billion for agriculture-related conservation programs. Additionally, $3.1 billion set aside for “climate-smart” farm projects was also frozen. These funds were designated for projects like soil health improvement, erosion reduction, solar panel installation, and conversion from diesel to electric irrigation systems. Farmers, who had already made financial investments based on these promised funds, are now in financial peril.
Spring is a crucial period for many farms, marking the planting of seeds and the birth of animals. It is a time when decisions cannot be delayed, and reversing plans can be impossible. Brian and Elizabeth Geier, farmers from Indiana, had been counting on a $10,000 USDA grant to expand the grazing area for their sheep and implement rotational grazing, which helps conserve soil. With the funding freeze, the Geiers were forced to take out a private loan to ensure they could move forward with their farming operations. “Farmers have to shift when timelines change,” said Brian Geier, who is now reconsidering purchasing more sheep for his farm due to the uncertainty surrounding his funding.
The delay in funding has disproportionately affected small farms, which typically have narrower profit margins and limited access to credit. Many of these smaller operations depend heavily on grants that were part of the frozen funds. “With this uncertainty, they are pulling out of farmers markets, canceling contracts already because they do not think they will have the capacity to meet them,” said Vanessa Garcia Polanco, government relations director for the National Young Farmers Coalition.Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins explained that the freeze was partially due to a review of funding related to programs not directly tied to agriculture. She also criticized the previous administration’s policies on over-regulation and extreme environmental programs. While some funds have been released—such as the first tranche of $20 million for the Inflation Reduction Act—it is clear that more substantial releases are necessary to prevent lasting damage to farmers’ operations. “There is some semblance that this is moving, but it’s clearly not fast enough. The timing matters,” said Mike Lavender, policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Farmers involved in climate-smart agriculture, which focuses on sustainable farming practices, are among the most affected by the freeze. These projects, which received substantial investments for practices aimed at improving resilience to climate change, have faced significant setbacks. Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, a nonprofit managing about 200 climate-related projects, is owed nearly $2 million by the USDA. Executive Director Hannah Smith-Brubaker expressed concern that if the freeze continues, the organization will be forced to lay off staff, thus further exacerbating the issue for farmers. “There are not going to be people to help those farmers and process those payments,” Smith-Brubaker warned.Roell, who had sought the USDA funds to rebuild after Hurricane Helene destroyed beehives in North Carolina, emphasized that the goal of the orchard project was to diversify and make the farm more resilient to future catastrophes. Instead, the federal funding freeze has placed even more stress on farmers who are already grappling with the impacts of extreme weather events caused by climate change.As the spring thaw approaches, the urgency of resolving the federal funding freeze becomes increasingly apparent. Farmers who were promised support under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act are now facing significant delays, placing their investments—and the future of their farms—at risk. The situation highlights the crucial need for timely and efficient government support, especially as the agriculture industry adapts to the growing pressures of climate change and economic uncertainty.