The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced it will release $20 million in funding that was previously paused under the administration’s review of the Inflation Reduction Act. However, advocates like Mike Lavender from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition argue that the amount is insufficient and the process is moving too slowly. Small farms, in particular, are vulnerable due to tighter profit margins and limited access to credit. Farmers like Brian Geier in Indiana are feeling the impact as they rely on USDA grants to expand and improve their operations.
Vanessa Garcia Polanco from the National Young Farmers Coalition highlights the uncertainty created by the frozen funding, leading some farmers to pull out of markets and cancel contracts as they lack the resources to meet demands. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins criticized the previous administration’s policies and stated that the USDA is still reviewing the allocation of funds.
Farmers engaged in climate change-related projects are especially concerned as the freeze could jeopardize their resilience and sustainability efforts. Nonprofits like Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, managing climate projects in 15 states, are owed close to $2 million in reimbursement from the USDA. Without access to funding, they may have to lay off staff, hindering their ability to support farmers facing extreme weather events like hurricanes.
Overall, the delay in releasing USDA funding is causing uncertainty and disruptions for farmers, potentially impacting their ability to expand, improve resilience, and cope with disasters. The lack of updates and clear timelines from the USDA is forcing farmers like Geier to revise their plans and consider scaling back operations.
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