U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will release the first tranche of funding that was paused due to the review of funding in the Inflation Reduction Act.
In alignment with White House directives, Rollins stated in a news release on Feb. 20 that she will honor contracts that were already made directly to farmers. Specifically, the USDA is releasing approximately $20 million in contracts for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.
Rollins is pictured above during a recent stop in Kansas with Congressman Tracey Mann (at left) and Sen. Roger Marshall.
The decision was applauded by National Farmers Union President Rob Larew.
“Secretary Rollins’ action yesterday (Feb. 20) is a welcome first step in ensuring USDA honors its commitments to farmers and rural communities,” Larew said. “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.”
Rollins said American farmers are the backbone of the nation and have done so in trying times. She blamed the Biden administration for policies that were counterproductive to feeding, fueling and clothing 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,” she said.
“Unfortunately, the Biden administration rushed out hundreds of millions of dollars of IRA funding that was supposed to be distributed over eight years,” Rollins added. “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 after the USDA reviews IRA funding, she said.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or dbergmeier@hpj.com.
