
Farmers Left HANGING by USDA Shift!
The Trump administration has officially scrapped a $3.1 billion climate-smart farming initiative, sparking backlash from environmental groups and small farmers alike.
At a Glance
$3.1 Billion USDA Climate Program Canceled
135 Sustainable Farming Projects Defunded
New Rules Require 65% of Funds Go to Farmers
Legal Challenges Mount as Funding Dries Up
Impact on Sustainable Agriculture
The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, created under President Biden, was designed to fund 135 large-scale projects across all 50 states to reduce agricultural emissions and promote eco-friendly practices. According to Reuters, the program targeted initiatives like cover cropping, methane capture, and soil carbon monitoring—practices the USDA estimated could cut emissions equivalent to removing 12 million gas-powered vehicles from the road.
But the Trump-era Department of Agriculture, under Secretary Brooke Rollins, has now halted the initiative, citing high administrative costs and insufficient direct benefits to farmers. Rollins told The Hill the program “was largely built to advance the Green New Scam at the benefit of NGOs, not American farmers,” and criticized its “complex reporting” and “ambiguous goals.”
Watch Newsweek’s breakdown of the controversy at “USDA Cuts Climate Grants”.
Reactions from the Farming Community
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from sustainable agriculture advocates. Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that participated in the program, said its climate-smart projects focused heavily on soil health and covered more than 100 small farms. But under new USDA rules, only projects that send at least 65% of funds directly to farmers are allowed to continue—rules Pasa says disqualify them despite 85% of their budget going to farmer services.
Farmers are also reporting fallout. According to Newsweek, some producers are now scaling back operations or pursuing costly private financing, with layoffs already underway in affected organizations. “We started hearing years ago that the climate is impacting our ability to farm,” Pasa’s Hannah Smith-Brubaker said. “We need support.”
The freeze on climate funds also impacts the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which supports renewable energy projects on farms. Environmental law firm Earthjustice has joined other groups in filing lawsuits to block these cuts.
Legal Actions and Future Prospects
Legal action is ramping up. Multiple organizations are challenging the USDA’s cuts, arguing that abruptly halting previously awarded contracts could be unlawful. Earthjustice and other plaintiffs say the funding was essential for farms transitioning to sustainable practices—especially as climate-related droughts, flooding, and temperature swings grow more frequent.
The USDA has rebranded the effort as the “Advancing Market Access for Climate-Smart Commodities” initiative. Under this revised version, some projects may proceed if they adjust their budgets to meet new guidelines. However, according to Farm Progress, many organizations are unsure whether they can pivot quickly enough to keep their funding.
As the Biden-era vision for climate-conscious agriculture is replaced by a more restrictive, market-focused approach, stakeholders remain divided on what kind of government support farmers really need. Whether the new rules will help—or further destabilize—U.S. agriculture remains an open question.