President Donald Trump halted foreign aid funding, launching the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture into a frenzy. This ruling affects farmers across the country as well as U.S. run food programs in less developed countries.
Farmers risk losing billions of dollars in grants and cost-sharing contracts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although the freeze was partially rescinded after a judge blocked the order, farmers still aren’t seeing the money.
Internationally about 58 million people rely on nearly 4 billion pounds of U.S. grown food. Without reimbursement from the American government, millions are at risk of hunger and disease. Most of these farmers were already in economically precarious situations.
“The interruption in funding raises concerns about whether USDA will disburse already obligated funds to farmers who have existing agreements with the department,” said Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union.
The pause also interrupts research and agricultural programs, many of which directly affect developing countries. Programs like The Soybean Innovation Lab, run by the University of Illinois, were immediately defunded. The lab was created in mind for the cultivation of crops in less developed countries.
Prices for crops in the United States have fallen in recent years, placing farmers at an even greater risk as federal grants are frozen. An oversaturation in the market is also likely to appear, driving farmers out of business.
The frozen aid comes in a string of other halted programs. Programs like DEI, the Department of Education and The National Institutes for Health have lost significant funding. Mass confusion over federal grants and blocked executive orders leave those who rely on U.S. grown food unsure of the future.
Author: Hannah Clove
Photo courtesy of Nathan Howard
Editor: Anna Mower
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