Providers of foreign food assistance that have seen their contracts reinstated after the funding freeze are still struggling to resume operations.
Mark Moore is the CEO of Mana Nutrition, which makes nutrition packets for malnourished children. His nonprofit had its contract with the U.S. Agency of International Development reinstated earlier this month. But he said during a Devex webinar Tuesday that the effects of the food aid pause have disrupted key supply chains in ways that are not easily reversed.
The challenge: Transportation contracts needed to be reestablished, Moore said. He said USAID cuts have also eliminated funding for some medical personnel in developing economies that distributed the products to sick children.
“Just having your contract back on really doesn't mean that much,” Moore said, if product is “just sitting in your warehouse.”
Competitor nonprofit Edesia has still not restarted production lines shuttered two weeks ago, its CEO Navyn Salem said. She is waiting for alternative funding, or a more concrete signal that the administration will resume payments.
Market relief payment rates vary widely
As promised, Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins beat the statutory deadline for releasing that $10 billion market relief program authorized by Congress in December. Payment rates for major crops under the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program will vary from $29.76 an acre for soybeans to $76.94 an acre for rice and $84.74 for cotton. The corn rate is $42.91.
Keep in mind: Farmers will get 85% of their payments until the signup ends Aug. 15. The remainder of the payments will be distributed depending on how much money is available.
Check out our weekly newsletter for a possible Plan B for the farm bill, and what USDA is doing with probationary employees it was ordered to rehire.
USDA’s National Ag Day celebration
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall with National FFA Organization national officers.
Students participated in a panel with USDA employees including (L to R) NASS Administrator Joseph Parsons; Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary Jen Tiller; The Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement’s Education Initiatives National Program Manager Michael Williams; Chief Economist Seth Meyer; and FAS administrator Daniel Whitley. (Photos by Chuck Zimmerman, ZimmComm)
EPA contemplates slashing scientific research office
EPA is weighing gutting the Office of Research and Development, according to a plan viewed by Democratic staff on the House Science Committee.
The office has about 1,500 employees and its website says it provides research to inform EPA decision-making. Under the plan, first reported on by the New York Times, three quarters of the office staff would be let go.
EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou said the agency “is taking exciting steps as we enter the next phase of organizational improvements.” She added that, “while no decisions have been made yet, we are actively listening to employees at all levels to gather ideas on how to better fulfill agency statutory obligations, increase efficiency, and ensure the EPA is as up-to-date and effective as ever.”
The Natural Resources Defense Council criticized the plan. The advocacy group’s chief science officer, Ticora Jones, argued that the agency “needs the smartest science to put the smartest protections in place for people and the planet – and maintain them.”
USDA says states can obligate conservation contracts
USDA says it has lifted a pause on obligating contracts for two major conservation programs, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.
Agri-Pulse reported that a notice said NRCS staff should pause having producers sign FY25 applications for EQIP and CSP. The notice was sent Friday morning by a state NRCS official.
In a statement to Agri-Pulse on Tuesday, the department said it paused the obligation of new EQIP and CSP contracts March 5 “to review criteria that could have impacted on contract ranking.” The statement went on to say, “On March 14, 2025, states were able to begin obligating EQIP and CSP contracts.”
The statement concluded by saying: “Secretary Rollins remains committed to working with American producers and ensuring the timely delivery of conservation program funding.”
USDA didn’t immediately respond to a request to explain the apparent discrepancy between the spokesperson’s statement and the notice.
Groups seek court order to restore erased USDA climate webpages
Farming and environmental groups are seeking a court order requiring USDA to restore culled webpages related to climate change and climate initiatives.
Earthjustice, Environmental Working Group, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York filed a motion for a preliminary injunction their lawsuit challenging USDA’s move to erase climate-related webpages.
The groups want the courts to direct USDA to restore the webpages and prevent the agency from removing any additional information.
They argue the webpage purge hurts farmers, advisors, researchers and advocates who rely on the now-removed information to make planting decisions.
Agri-Pulse, NALC webinar to highlight state of ag trade
Agri-Pulse and the National Agricultural Law Center are cohosting a webinar this morning on the latest policy developments and what comes next for U.S. ag trade.
Former Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Kenneth Isley and the Agriculture Transportation Coalition’s Peter Friedmann will share their perspectives; Agri-Pulse’s International Trade Editor Oliver Ward will serve as moderator.
More information and registration is available at NationalAgLawCenter.org
Final word
“One word: Sackett. S-A-C-K-E-T-T. It is a clear, simple prescriptive definition. It is clear guidance from the United States Supreme Court. We should follow it, we should honor it. In that definition lies the answer, lies the solution.” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, answering a reporter’s question in Missouri about how to craft a “durable” definition of “waters of the U.S.”
"We're hoping to get this done in months, not years," Zeldin said of the administration's forthcoming rewrite of the WOTUS rule.
For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com
