Policy & Advocacy Newsletter
Learn how the Trump administration’s funding freeze disrupts the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, leaving NOFA/Mass and organic farmers in flux.
By Najee Quashie
Reporting from Massachusetts
Funding Freeze Impact
Organic farmers across Massachusetts and beyond find themselves in a precarious holding pattern. NOFA/Mass, alongside partners like Pasa Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), received word on January 20th that funding for climate-smart initiatives under the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program is frozen—not cut but stalled—leaving reimbursements and future plans in limbo.
“We’re going to run out of money eventually.”
– Hannah Smith-Brubaker in Civil Eats, Pasa’s Executive Director
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The terms DOGE & Musk are in Scrabble letters. Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.
Trust In Government to Deliver
Take Mark Smith of Pittsburgher Highland Farm, who told The Allegheny Front he invested $8,000 of his own money to secure water for his grass-fed livestock after springs dried up. He applied for PCSC aid through Pasa, only to face uncertainty as funds stall. In Massachusetts, NOFA/Mass farmers—many small operations unable to self-fund conservation—now question whether promised support will materialize.
“Farmers want to know whether they can trust the U.S. government to do what it promised to do. They want to know whether the money and services they have signed agreements on will be delivered, especially after President Trump said he wasn’t going to withhold payments to farmers.
Gutting USDA programs and personnel and hanging our farmers and rural America out to dry is not the solution.”
– Representative Angie Craig (D-MN) in Civil Eats, the House Agriculture Committee’s top Democrat
Layoffs. WorkShare. Contract Cancellations.
The freeze’s fallout is stark. According to The Allegheny Front and Farm and Dairy, Pasa anticipates laying off 30 staff—70% of its workforce—if funds do not flow soon. NOFA/Mass has had conversations about staff retention for its Climate Smart team, including the Technical Assistance Providers who foster farmer trust, create whole farm plans, gather farm data, tackle field issues, and connect with farmers via phone and in-person visits. Projects like the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, which Pasa administers, hang by a thread—state funds and private donations cannot bridge a $3 billion gap. And the Clark Group cancellation? It is a “stitch ripped out” of a fragile system, jeopardizing thousands of farmers from Missouri to Vermont.
Black and yellow tape covers a computer saying, “Unfortunately, we no longer need your services.” Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.
Mixed Signals. More Uncertainty.
The uncertainty deepens with mixed signals. USDA’s February 20 release of $20 million in IRA funds suggests some thawing, but PCSC’s fate remains unclear. Will reimbursements post-Q1—March 31—be honored? As Civil Eats hints, cancellation could spark lawsuits, given these are binding contracts. The Trump administration’s focus on clawing back DEIA or far-left climate programs casts doubt, yet no official ax has fallen.
For now, NOFA/Mass and its farmers are stuck in “climate-smart limbo,” as Smith-Brubaker told Civil Eats: “These are public servants providing food and environmental benefits.”
The stakes are high. Per Pasa’s estimates, practices like mulching or soil improvement—stalled without funding could store billions of gallons of water, shielding Massachusetts from floods and droughts. Small farms risk collapse without support, and trust in federal promises erodes.
“We’re still trying to serve farmers the best that we can, but you know, there will come a point in time when that’s just not going to be possible.”
– Hannah Smith-Brubaker in Civil Eats, Pasa’s Executive Director
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Action Items to Fight This The funding freeze is not final—your voice can push back. Here is how NOFA/Mass supporters can ACT NOW: 1) Contact USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins
2) Lobby Your Congressional Reps
3) Join NOFA/Mass Membership
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4) Fill Out Survey 
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Share your feedback.
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NOFA organizations and MOFGA are collecting farmer responses to assess the federal funding freeze’s economic, environmental, and social impacts, aiming to advocate to Congress, customize support, and mobilize collective action while ensuring anonymity.
5) Donate to NOFA/Mass 
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Contribute at nofamass.org/donate. Funds sustain programs and staff while federal support lags—every dollar counts.
6) Spread the Word 
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Share this article or NOFA/Mass updates on social media (tag @nofamass).
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Post: “MA farmers need climate-smart funding—tell USDA to act!” Public pressure sways policy.
Time is ticking—act before Q2 solidifies the limbo into a loss. NOFA/Mass’s farmers deserve better than uncertainty—they feed us and steward our land. Let’s fight for them.
