Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that USDA will release the first tranche of funding that was paused due to the review of funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
In alignment with White House directives, Secretary Rollins will honor contracts that were already made directly to farmers. Specifically, USDA is releasing approximately $20 million in contracts for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.
“American farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our nation,” said Secretary Rollins. “They feed, fuel, and clothe our nation—and millions of people around the world. The past four years have been among the most difficult for American Agriculture, due in no small measure to Biden’s disastrous policies of over-regulation, extreme environmental programs, and crippling inflation. Unfortunately, the Biden administration rushed out hundreds of millions of dollars of IRA funding that was supposed to be distributed over eight years. After careful review, it is clear that some of this funding went to programs that had nothing to do with agriculture—that is why we are still reviewing—whereas other funding was directed to farmers and ranchers who have since made investments in these programs. We will honor our commitments to American farmers and ranchers, and we will ensure they have the support they need to be the most competitive in the world.”
This is the first tranche of released funding, and additional announcements are forthcoming as soon as USDA continues to review IRA funding to ensure that we honor our sacred obligation to American taxpayers—and to ensure that programs are focused on supporting farmers and ranchers, not DEIA programs or far-left climate programs.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew made the following statement about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement releasing the first tranche of IRA funding that was under review. “Secretary Rollins’ action yesterday is a welcome first step in ensuring USDA honors its commitments to farmers and rural communities,” said Larew. “America’s family farmers and ranchers are facing a year of economic uncertainty, exacerbated by the uncertainty of the administration’s pause on federal funding and staff dismissals. Farmers are now making business decisions for the coming year and can’t wait much longer. We urge USDA to quickly complete its review, release all remaining funds, and ensure continuity in these essential programs.”
