Updated 10/02/2025

Federal government shutdown

The partial federal government shutdown effective Oct. 1 is anticipated to halt or delay operations and resources across the nation, including the USDA’s ability to serve farmers, ranchers, and stakeholders.

“During a shutdown, about 42,000 USDA staff would be furloughed, according to the agency’s 2025 shutdown contingency plan, roughly half the agency’s employees,” according to Reuters’ Leah Douglas, P.J. Huffstutter, and Julie Ingwersen.

READ MORE

This Federal Food and Agriculture Work Will Cease During the Shutdown
By Lisa Held, Civil Eats
Oct. 1, 2025

Nearly Half of USDA Employees to be Furloughed as Gov’t Shuts Down
By Ryan Hanrahan, Illinois Farm Policy News
Oct. 1, 2025

USDA’s Shutdown Plan Detailed
By Chris Clayton, Progressive Farmer
Oct. 1, 2025

Updated 10/02/2025

Coalition of nearly 600 orgs calls on Congress for strong farm bill

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and nearly 600 national, state, and local organizations, including the Center for Good Food Purchasing, delivered a joint letter to Congressional leaders on Sept. 22, urging them to aim high toward a farm bill that invests in our mutual prosperity. Addressed to Senate and House leadership as well as Agriculture Committee chairs and ranking members, the letter calls on Congress to address the harmful provisions enacted through the recently passed budget reconciliation bill (P.L. 119-21) and to advance a long overdue farm bill that supports family farmers, rural communities, healthy food access, essential nutrition programs, and more.

“The decisions made in this farm bill will touch every person in this country,” the letter states. “[We] stand together to say we will only support a farm bill that provides adequate and accessible SNAP benefits to families and individuals; makes our food safer, healthier, and more affordable; supports good, family-sustaining jobs for food workers; supports family farmers and their communities; and ensures our food is produced in ways that are consistent with our values.”

TAKE ACTION

Supporters are encouraged to continue amplifying the letter’s significance and demands by sharing directly with your Congressional delegation, with local/national news outlets to request media coverage of the effort, and with networks of others interested in reaching out to their members of Congress.

Updated 07/31/2025

Bipartisan Bills Boost Local Farmers and Expand Access to Healthy Food for Families

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about the Strengthening Local Food Security Act, see NSAC’s July 22, 2025, press release. To learn more about the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act, see NSAC’s July 30, 2025, press release.

USDA cancels Regional Food Business Center support for small farms and food businesses

The USDA – Southwest Regional Food Business Center is one of 12 regional food business centers established to build a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system by improving opportunities and competitiveness of food and farm businesses, including value-added activities that generate additional business revenue. Earlier this month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced she’s cancelling the program that runs these centers, eliminating that support for small farms and food businesses around the country.

“Our team has supported nearly 2,000 farm and food businesses in just two years, and we were ready to deliver 100 grants totaling $4.2 million. Now, only a fraction — around $1 million — will reach the hands of producers,” said Tracy Celio of the Southwest Regional Food Business Center.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about the termination of the USDA program that runs the Regional Food Business Centers, see USDA Cancels More Support for Regional Food Systems by Lisa Held, Civil Eats, July 15, 2025.

Updated 07/17/2025

The Center stands with partners including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in opposing the budget reconciliation bill approved by Congress earlier this month.

“We don’t need to wait for history to accurately judge this legislation. The bill’s vision for America is one where it’s ok to spite your neighbor if it puts you ahead,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.

“The passage of this bill is the moment when elected officials decided that taking food off the plate of hungry children, seniors, and veterans was an acceptable price to pay to further increase farm subsidies to the largest, wealthiest farmers, while programs that support the vast majority of farmers and rural communities are left to languish. Make no mistake, a vote for this bill was not a vote for all of our country’s farmers or the communities they call home – it’s a vote to further enrich the wealthiest few and abandon everyone else.

“Every day NSAC works toward a future where farmers, workers, and communities sustain a thriving food and farm system that nourishes people, stewards our environment, and builds dynamic economies. This bill is a monumental setback on the journey toward that vision — but today, NSAC is more determined than ever to keep fighting for it.”

STAY TUNED

For a breakdown of the food and agriculture provisions in the budget reconciliation bill, see NSAC’s blog.

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