2/17 Action Alert: USDA Federal Funding & Programs Freeze

 

BACKGROUND

The slew of January 20 Executive Orders, including a freeze on spending authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and removal of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion language on governmental sites, has been broadly felt through the farming community. Many NRCS and USDA programs are funded federally, and disruption has been compounded by the monumental overhaul in federal staffing and structure. Subsequent court rulings have stated that the funding freeze cannot continue, though uncertainty remains around if this decision will be followed or enforced. The New York Times reported that over 2,600 programs were temporarily paused. We are in communication with NRCS officials and Conservation Districts and encourage you to do the same. This development may also slow down other programs and their efficacy, and producers are encouraged to keep planning but not to make any up-front payments they can't afford before there is more clarity. Attorney Dañia Davy, keynote speaker at the NOFA-VT Winter Conference, has compiled a toolkit of helpful information for weathering the rapidly changing situation.

You can access the resource here: https://landandliberation.my.canva.site/wtfederalfunding.

We are also collecting stories of how these executive orders impact the experiences, plans and contracts of Vermont farmers. It is important to document how procedures are being impacted by new rulings. Please be in touch if you’d like to share: info@ruralvermont.org

WHAT WE KNOW

We are monitoring developments and will share resources from partners and allies as they become available. What we do know:

  • USDA staff have been offered early retirement, effective immediately, and this process has been deemed legal by the courts. We have been told that the scale of these retirements will have significant impacts on USDA’s capacity to deliver basic services (like loan-making) to farmers and Cooperators. 

  • USDA staff are reviewing all USDA programming and funding mechanisms, and bringing some of those services back online as they are deemed in-alignment with the recent Executive Orders. This means that some services will be available to farmers faster than others. 

  • USDA staff in some states have been instructed to not issue payments (including federal disaster payments, NRCS payments, grants, and cooperative agreements)  linked to the Inflation Reduction Act, and are being instructed to review all contracts and agreements to remove references to DEI, environmental justice, gender preferences, and any mentions of socially disadvantaged or underrepresented communities, potentially leading to contract modifications or termination. The legality of this approach is legally dubious but unlikely to be resolved in the short-term.

  • Many Cooperative Agreements with USDA are currently not receiving reimbursements as defined by their contracts.

WHAT CAN WE/SHOULD WE DO ABOUT IT?

As these legal, Congressionally approved and funded public services at USDA are being undermined by executive actions, it is important that Congress hear your concerns about these developments at USDA, particularly if your organization or farmers in your network are currently being impacted. 

With that said, it is also critical for farmers and organizations to be aware of the risks of critiquing government agencies, specific offices, and individual USDA staff in this highly partisan and turbulent political environment. 

ACTION ALERT NOTES

If you would like to speak out publicly, here are some helpful hints before you get started:

  • We encourage phone calls (over emails) when possible. Emails are fine, but you should not underestimate the power of your voice.

  • We always encourage phone calls to Congress to be persuasive, amicable, and to-the-point.

  • If you are unable to reach the office of your member of Congress at their office in Washington D.C. we recommend calling their local offices here in Vermont.

    • Senator Welch's DC office: (202) 224-4242 Burlington office: (802) 863-2525

      Senator Sanders DC office: (202) 224-5141 Burlington office: (802) 862-0697

      Senator Balint’s DC office: (202) 225-4115 Burlington office: (802) 652-2450

  • We recommend using Congress.gov  to find contact information for your federal Representatives & Senators. 

TAKE ACTION!
HERE IS WHAT TO SAY….

Hello, my name is ___________ , (If you are a farmer or you work to serve farmers you can mention that). I am calling/writing to you from _________. I am calling/writing to you to express my concern with the events happening at the US Department of Agriculture. Losing critical workers and stopping promised payments of grants and loans to farmers, ranchers, and farming organizations is putting farmers and rural communities at risk. 

(If you are a farmer that has been enrolled in a USDA program in the past you can mention that) 

These USDA programs have bi-partisan support, have provided critical services to farmers and ranchers for decades across administrations, and are vitally important as many farmers are preparing for their planting season. I’m calling on (name of member of Congress) and Congress to defend these public programs, services, and funding mechanisms and ensure USDA follows the rules and priorities legally established by Congress. 

Thank you!

If you have any questions or would like to speak to Rural Vermont staff, we will do our best to guide you. Please email: info@ruralvermont.org

Rural Vermont