Our small farmers and local food systems have been directly targeted by USDA cuts during the first months of the Trump administration including:
- Frozen payments on farmer contracts.
- The cancellation of $4 million in local food purchasing directly from Maine farmers to support schools and food banks.
- $12 million in funding for Maine farm conservation projects through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that has been approved by Congress, but which USDA is refusing to release.
- Cuts to USDA staff in every Maine county of at least 20%, with more cuts planned.
- Tariffs that are raising the cost of equipment, greenhouses, animal feed, and other inputs that are forcing farmers to make tough decisions.
Investing in our farms and local food system is critical for ensuring that we will be able to feed our communities. Maine is unique in that the average age of our farmers is younger than in other states, and we have many folks who are still interested in getting into farming. But the challenges facing our farmers are making it harder for them to make ends meet.
