CFSA is mobilizing in response to ongoing federal funding interruptions impacting sustainable farms, food businesses, and agricultural nonprofits across the Carolinas and the entire country.
Small farm and food businesses power food security, rural economies, and environmental conservation, and we’re speaking up to make the importance of food systems funding known to decision-makers. By meeting with legislators, activating members, and collecting stories from impacted farmers, we’re making the importance of local food systems funding known.
Get engaged and join our movement for farms, for food, and for our future.
TAKE ACTION: CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
Keep up the pressure on your lawmakers — political pressure is still the most useful tool we have, and it does make a difference! We are stronger together, and our collective voice is powerful. Call and email district offices for your state and district representatives to share your story, tell them how local farmers and food access work is critical to a thriving food system and regional economy, and urge them to honor existing USDA contracts with farmers and nonprofits and protect food and farming-focused grant programs. If leaving a voicemail, make sure to include your full street address in your message to ensure the call is tallied.
- Find your state & district representatives:
- North Carolina: https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators
- South Carolina: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php
- Outside the Carolinas: https://www.congress.gov/state-legislature-websites
- Find your federal representatives: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
- Contact Secretary of Agriculture Rollins: (833) ONE-USDA, (202) 720-7100, [email protected]
SAMPLE SCRIPT: End funding interruptions
Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent and a voter calling from [city, state].
I am calling to ask you to speak out against the Administration’s continuing actions to freeze or cancel federal funding for programs that support our local farms and food supply. These freezes are still happening, in defiance of federal court orders to resume payments.
You must act now to ensure these resources for small farms and local food are not at risk. Let the Administration and House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders GT Thompson and John Boozman know that these funding interruptions are impacting small and rural farms. The Administration cannot make these arbitrary cuts to Congress’ bipartisan Farm Bill programs, now or in the future.
Executive branch interference with this funding not only creates massive economic harm but also directly violates the Constitution. Congress must be united in opposing this. Thank you for your time and consideration.
SAMPLE SCRIPT: Reinstate the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools programs
Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent and a voter calling from [city, state].
I’m calling to express my concern about the termination of two vital programs: the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools. Both programs are vital investments, keeping local farmers thriving through direct sales, investing in our regional economy, and ensuring our neighbors have fresh, nutritious food on the table. Small farmers rely on local supply chains supported by federal grants. Cutting these programs will destabilize local supply chains and put farmers out of business while increasing food insecurity in our communities.
Our local food systems are worth fighting for. I am asking you to lead by example. Congress must act to stand by the federal government’s promises to our small farms and our local food supply. I urge you to reinstate funding for both programs in the next Farm Bill.
Thank you for your time.
TAKE ACTION: SHARE YOUR STORY
CFSA is collecting on-the-ground testimonials from farms and food businesses impacted by the recent executive orders and federal funding interruptions. This information enhances our ability to advocate for farmers and businesses and demonstrate to state and federal representatives the true economic, environmental and social impact of these decisions.
Submission Form: https://bit.ly/farmer-funding-freeze-story-submission-form
While we may share details of how this has impacted you, your identity will remain anonymous. Thank you for sharing your stories.
TAKE ACTION: SUPPORT CFSA
The federal government’s payment freeze is hurting CFSA’s farm members and food system partners, who rely on our technical assistance and advocacy. We need your help to keep providing it.
CFSA’s Board of Directors has launched an emergency fundraising initiative— the Resilient Farms and Food Systems Bridge Fund—to raise $400,000 by the end of May. The hope is that this fund will assist in providing security for CFSA to continue delivering on its promise to farmers, to our food system partners, and to our communities!
CFSA remains dedicated to supporting farmers, building resilient food systems, and advocating for fair food policies. We’ve been doing this for 46 years, and with your help, we’re not stopping now.
We need your financial support to continue serving farmers and advocating for local food systems across the Carolinas as we navigate these challenges.
FEDERAL FUNDING INTERRUPTIONS: BACKGROUND & CONTEXT
In the initial hours and days of his second term, President Trump issued a number of executive orders. While executive orders are not uncommon when a new administration takes office, the content of these was uncommon, as they often addressed “subjects” rather than specific policy action items.
A January 27th memo from the Office of Management and Budget, issued under the authority of the executive orders, instituted a freeze on all government grant, loan, and financial assistance spending — including all US Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant and loan programs. This initial memo was rescinded several days later but was accompanied by conflicting statements from the White House Press Secretary on its scope. This kicked off two (now three) lawsuits that have since resulted in administrative stays against the freeze and orders reinstating the flow of appropriated federal funds.
There’s been a lot of back-and-forth with executive orders, memos, and court decisions, leading some to believe that the funding freeze might be lifted. What’s become abundantly clear, however, is that a de facto freeze remains in place for many farmers and organizations.
Carolina producers continue to tell us that they are owed thousands in conservation grants, value-added producer grants, and more, with little to no communication from USDA as to why funds are frozen or for how long.
These funding interruptions are affecting sustainable farms, food businesses, and agricultural nonprofits across the Carolinas and the entire country, who are being denied millions of dollars in reimbursements they are owed by law. These funds support small farms, beginning farmers, and food businesses that are doing important work for our communities. And as of this writing, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association is still waiting on hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursements for work completed in 2024. The farms and organizations that make up the CFSA community are working to build a better, more sustainable food system for everyone, and freezing this funding hurts us all.
These programs were approved by Congress, and taking the funding away is not only harmful to farmers and our whole sustainable ag community but is also unconstitutional. This is not a question of spending philosophy at USDA; it’s a question of whether farmers should get paid for work completed under contract.
Beyond the freeze, the federal policy landscape continues to be daunting for local food systems. Recent actions by the federal government terminating two vital food and agriculture programs to build a more resilient local food supply chain – the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools – have left thousands of farmers, families and nonprofits unsupported. Both programs helped build and expand economic opportunity for local farmers, while providing nourishing, locally grown food to children, families and seniors in underserved communities. You can learn more about Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s FarmsSHARE program here, which is funded by LFPA.
Cuts to agricultural programs also likely come at the expense of the 2025 Farm Bill, as slim margins in the House and Senate mean that any Farm Bill will need bipartisan support to pass, and gutted nutrition or conservation programs would eliminate any chance of Democratic support. The Administration has also made it clear that it will try to permanently withdraw federal funding for programs aimed at addressing climate change in agriculture and supporting small, beginning, veteran, and minority farmers.
If this continues, critical programs for farmers, local food systems, and rural communities could be at risk—everything from loans for farmers to conservation services and local food programs.
Let’s not lose all the progress we’ve made! More federal support, not less, is key to helping small farms and communities become more resilient.
