USDA is Ending COVID-era Regional Food Business Centers

The Trump administration is putting an end to a COVID-era USDA program.

The department launched Regional Food Business Centers in 2023 to help small and mid-sized farmers.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says that they were created with one-time funding from Congress.

However, the previous administration says that they were meant to build lasting resilience in our food system.

Jenny Lester Moffitt, senior fellow at the American Farmland Trust and a former USDA Undersecretary, played a key role in launching those centers.

She spoke with RFD-TV’s own Suzanne Alexander about her understanding of the program, what the end of the centers means, and how their goals changed post-COVID.

Related Stories
Delays on year-round E15 keep potential corn demand and fuel savings in limbo.
Analysts warn the closed U.S.-Mexico border is straining cattle supplies and packing capacity. StoneX and USDA data point to long-term industry shifts.
Michael Kelsey of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association joined us with the latest on the Oklahoma wildfires, recovery efforts for ranchers, and the role agriculture leaders are playing in supporting rural communities.
USDA’s 2026 Food Price Outlook projects food prices rising 3.1%, with higher beef costs and falling egg prices shaping consumer trends.
House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson says the 2026 Farm Bill is bipartisan, with 82% of the bills incorporated into it receiving bipartisan support.
According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, fire crews remain on alert statewide as Red Flag conditions persist. Officials warn that even contained fires can reignite quickly under current weather conditions.