Updated 07/01/2025

The Center stands with partners including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in opposing the budget reconciliation bill approved by the Senate July 1.

“NSAC is deeply disappointed that the Senate has voted to approve a reconciliation bill that ignores the needs of the vast majority of American farmers and the communities they call home while providing billions for programs that only benefit a select few, all at the expense of programs that support nutrition access for hungry people,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director. “By excluding farm loans, rural development, new market opportunities, research, and more, the Senate bill chooses to take a narrow view of agriculture.”

STAY TUNED

For analysis of the full budget reconciliation bill, stay tuned to the NSAC blog.

TAKE ACTION

The Senate-amended bill now returns to the House of Representatives, where a version passed in May by just one vote and a final vote is expected to take place shortly. Contact your member of Congress to voice your opposition.

Updated 05/29/2025

The budget reconciliation package narrowly passed by House Republicans on May 22 cuts food access for families and vital support for farmers, while ignoring the need for a full farm bill that invests in local and regional supply chains. The bill now moves on to consideration by the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority and need a simple majority (51 votes) to pass the package. The Center stands with partners including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition in opposing the budget reconciliation package as approved by the House of Representatives.

Updated 03/2025

Many of our partners across the country are facing devastating and quickly evolving challenges due to the ongoing funding freeze and cuts being made by the current administration. In February, Center staff visited Capitol Hill to talk to legislators about the effects of this uncertainty and what it means for people growing food, feeding their communities, and relying on institutions for their meals.

On March 7, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the previously announced 2025 funding for Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement (LFSCC) and Local Food Purchasing Assistance Cooperative Agreement program (LFPA) is being terminated. Both LFSCC and LFPA created opportunities for local farmers and producers to access and expand market channels through school and food bank purchases.

This reduction eliminates $1 billion in funding that would have supported farmers across the country to provide high-quality food to our communities through schools and food banks. Our partners at National Farm to School Network (NFSN) have launched an action alert and story collection page for individuals and organizations to share how these cuts are directly affecting communities and constituents, as well as a media coverage tracker.

In addition, the following resources offer connections to support and opportunities to join collective response and group advocacy efforts:

• National Resource Guide for Producers by the American Farmland Trust

• Grassroots Funding Freeze Mobilization Toolkit by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

• Federal Cuts Map and Tracker for submission of media coverage about impacts and stories from federal workers, federal business partners, and grant or loan recipients

• National Young Farmers Coalition Call to Action