By Lily Hawkins, Policy Director

Urgent: USDA Cancels Land Access Grants – Take Action!

The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program, a $300 million initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, is under threat. Intended to support 50 five-year projects launched in 2023, these grants were designed to provide essential training and financial support for underrepresented producers—including Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and veteran farmers.

In a shocking move this March, the USDA cancelled 49 of the 50 active contracts. This follows a year of administrative delays under the guise of “DEI reviews.” With the vast majority of farmland owned by non-farming landlords and prices continuing to skyrocket, these grants were a lifeline for the next generation of producers.

Click here to ask Secretary Rollins to reinstate the cancelled grants!

President’s Budget

 The Organic Farmers Association is extremely disappointed in the President’s recently released fiscal budget for 2027. The budget proposes a 19% cut to the USDA budget, targeting food aid programs and research programs. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding would be cut by nearly half, risking crucial research initiatives that help producers transition to organic practices and maintain organic certification. And the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which houses the National Organic Program, would be cut by $61 million.

The proposed budget does request $50 million to implement the plan to reorganize USDA, moving many staff out of the Washington, D.C. area. Over the past year, the USDA National Organic Program has already lost roughly one-third of its staff. A potential requirement to relocate as part of the USDA reorganization project could lead to further departures, placing organic integrity at risk and impeding essential coordination with other agencies.

It is important to remember that this budget is a request to Congress, that may or may not be enacted through the appropriations process.

OFA Dairy Workgroup Community Call

OFA has been convening a workgroup of organic dairy producers and advocates regularly for nearly 4 years. We invite you to join us for our first quarterly community update and discussion on Wednesday, May 6. We’ll provide a comprehensive overview of our group’s work and discuss key topics impacting the organic dairy sector. Hear from organic dairy producers and experts from the Northeast, Midwest, and West at 11 AM ET / 8 AM PT for a one-hour briefing.

Topics include:

• Organic Dairy in the Farm Bill
• Proposed Rule to allow Meloxicam
• Regional Organic Milk Market Discussion
• Upcoming issues in Organic Dairy
  

Register here!