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
Tennessee corn and soy farmer Josh Ogle joins us to discuss rapid planting progress in the state, improving moisture conditions, and early crop development challenges in the MidSouth region.
Beef is leading the decline as slaughter drops and supplies tighten.
Chad Fiechter joins us to discuss Purdue’s precision ag study, challenges in capturing value from technology, and what farmers should consider when investing in and adopting these tools.
The trip is giving them a firsthand look at farming beyond the U.S.
Ethanol demand held together last week, but lower production and thinner stocks put more focus on export strength. Production capacity is also strengthening over time and benefiting soybean farmers.
Expanded export financing could provide greater support for ag sales abroad if buyers and lenders use the additional tools.