USDA Freezes Farmer Funding for Some Programs (Connecting the Dots: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, The Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) & Soros Funding, All Networking)
Newsmax.com
Friday,
07 February 2025 10:01 PM EST
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/usda-farmer-funding/2025/02/07/id/1198320/
The
U.S. Department of Agriculture has frozen some
funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances
from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers would not be
affected in the government overhaul.
The
impact has been immediate and wide-ranging, from cash assistance for ranchers
to fix cattle watering systems to help for corn growers wanting to plant cover
crops that curb wind erosion.
Some
of the money that has been frozen is tied to environmental conservation
programs that were funded by former President Joe Biden's signature climate
law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included about $19.5 billion for
farm programs over 10 years.
The
White House said its Jan. 27 proposal to freeze federal loans and grants
would not affect programs for farmers. The administration rescinded its
proposal and it has been temporarily blocked in court. The White House did not
respond to a request for comment on Friday.
The
freeze adds more economic uncertainty for farmers already struggling after
several consecutive years of incomes dragged down by low crop prices.
It
also comes as a surprise to a community that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in
the past three presidential elections. His first term brought farmers record
cash: about $217 billion in farm payments, including crop support, disaster and
aid programs.
Rob
Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, told the Senate Agriculture
Committee on Wednesday that the group was hearing from farmers across the
country who were not receiving expected 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 posted a series of videos on TikTok this week,
saying he had signed a contract with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation
Service for $240,000 for improved water lines, fences and a well.
But
USDA officials called him recently to tell him his contract with NRCS's
Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, was frozen, he said. It's
not clear when the funds will be released, Holden said in his video.
"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 in one video, adding, "We are
possibly going to lose our farm if NRCS doesn't hold up their contract with
us."
The
program aims to help farmers maintain or improve production while conserving
natural resources.
A
USDA spokesperson said all federal agencies have been asked for such program
reviews. "The Department of Agriculture will be happy to provide a
response to interested parties once Brooke Rollins is confirmed," and has
analyzed them.
Rollins,
Trump's pick to run the farm agency, was advanced by the Senate Agriculture
Committee this week but has not yet received a full Senate confirmation vote.
The
U.S. Office of Management and Budget has asked USDA for information on 409
programs, according to an OMB document reviewed by Reuters, including the names
of political appointees that oversee each program and any funding obligations
the programs have through March 15.
USDA's
funding pause extended to programs beyond those supported through Biden's
signature climate law, according to a letter sent to USDA on Thursday by three
Democratic Party lawmakers.
"Pulling
the rug out from these recipients runs counter to the mission of the USDA and
will quickly and significantly cripple economic development in rural
America," the letter said.
One
program targeted in the funding pause was the Partnership for Climate-Smart
Commodities, where USDA said it is investing $3.1 billion in 141 projects to
help farmers enroll in conservation programs.
One
project provided assistance to Midwestern farmers to grow organic grains, while
another focused on bolstering potato farm operations in Idaho, Washington and
Oregon.
The
funding for the contracts came from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a
financing institution established during the Great Depression.
Connecting
the Dots:
Rajiv Shah
was an undersecretary for research, education & economics for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is a director at the Atlantic
Council of the United States (think tank).
Open Society Foundations was a funder for
the Atlantic Council of the United States
(think tank).
George Soros is the founder & chairman
for the Open Society Foundations.
Resources:
Past Research
Rep.
Ken Buck on D.C.’s Swamp: Politicians Are ‘Bought with Taxpayer Dollars’
(Researchers Note: Follow the Money!) (Past
Research on the U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Saturday,
April 15, 2017
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/04/rep-ken-buck-on-dcs-swamp-politicians.html
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