So, like, who knew that the Department of Agriculture was about more than just farming, am I right? Established way back in 1862, this federal agency has a ton of different subagencies and offices, and last year they had almost 100,000 employees on deck. Their annual budget? Hundreds of billions of dollars, no big deal. They do everything from international trade to food assistance to forest management to disaster aid. It’s a whole shebang.
But hold up, because in just, like, 100 days, President Donald Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins have totally shaken things up. Like, thousands of employees got axed, then rehired, then maybe not rehired, and whole programs got chopped. And don’t even get me started on the language bans and eligibility requirements changes. It’s a wild ride.
And let me tell you, farmers and food businesses in seven states are feeling the heat. They’re not too keen on the USDA’s funding cuts and workforce reductions. Trust in the agency? Yeah, it’s taking a hit. And experts are saying this overhaul is like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
Some policy analyst named Teon Hayes is all like, “Our food systems are under attack, dude.” And Elizabeth Lower-Basch, who was part of the USDA Equity Commission, is straight up disappointed. She’s saying this is some next-level stuff, even compared to the last Trump administration.
But wait, there’s more. The USDA is slashing funding for local and regional food systems while handing out cash to big ag businesses. Not cool, man. What’s gonna happen to our food supply?
As Rollins and Trump keep on bulldozing through, changing how the USDA operates, and climate change is making everything even more complicated, one thing’s for sure: The USDA ain’t gonna be the same when they’re done.
Then, on January 20, Trump signed some executive orders that threw a wrench in the federal government’s diversity and equity plans. The White House Office of Management and Budget followed suit with a memo that put the freeze on grants and loans. Chaos ensued.
And then, on February 13, Brooke Rollins took the reins as Secretary of Agriculture. Thousands of workers got the boot, programs got the axe, and the whole USDA landscape shifted. It’s been a rollercoaster, and nobody really knows what’s going on.
Fast forward to March 10, and the USDA dropped a bombshell: they were cutting funding to food programs left and right. Local food hubs took a hit, farmers were left in the lurch, and communities were left scrambling. It’s a mess.
And on April 7, the USDA announced they were downsizing their D.C. headquarters. Thousands of employees were on the chopping block. Efficiency, they said. But at what cost?
By April 14, the USDA was canceling billion-dollar programs left and right. Farmers were getting peanuts while big ag got the lion’s share. It’s a mess, and nobody’s happy.
And on April 23, Pasa took their fight to court. They’re battling the USDA over frozen funds and terminated programs. It’s a showdown, and nobody knows how it’s gonna end.
So, like, at the end of the day, the USDA is in shambles. Farmers are struggling, programs are getting axed, and nobody’s really sure why. Trump and Rollins are shaking things up, but at what cost? It’s a mess, and the future is uncertain.
