Yesterday, farmers across the state traveled for a tractor brigade at the state capitol to speak out against United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program cuts, and to urge our congressional delegation to push back and ensure farmer contracts are honored and critical programs are reinstated.
The stakes are high. We heard from dozens of farmers about the USDA programs that are being cut, frozen, or tailored to help only the biggest farms. This is the old playbook for farms to “get big or get out” and Maine farms won’t stand for it.
Since the Trump administration took office, we’ve seen:
- Frozen payments on farmer contracts.
- The cancellation of $4 million in local food purchasing directly from Maine farmers to support schools and food banks.
- $12 million in funding for Maine farm conservation projects through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that has been approved by Congress, but which USDA is refusing to release.
- Cuts to USDA staff, of at least 20%, in every Maine county, with more cuts planned.
- Tariffs that are raising the cost of equipment, greenhouses, animal feed, and other inputs — forcing farmers to make tough decisions.
- The cancellation of the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities program, which would have provided $3 million directly to Maine farms to help build resilience.
- Dozens of programs “frozen” —from agricultural research to support for transitioning to organic production — with no clear timeline for when or if these programs will continue.
In 2024, organic producers in Maine sold over $124 million in products. Organic farming in Maine provides food directly to our communities, keeps our rural communities vibrant, and is supporting healthy ecosystems. The programs that are being targeted at the USDA will have an outsized impact on Maine farmers, and on small and medium producers across the country.
We are so proud to be a part of a diverse farming community in Maine, and we will continue fighting to support our farmers, empowering people to feed their communities, and advocating for an organic future. We especially want to thank our courageous farmers and food system leaders who spoke at our event:
- Stacy Brenner, Maine Farmland Trust.
- Justin Strasburger, Full Plates, Full Potential.
- Marada Cook, Crown O’ Maine Distribution.
- Alyssa Adkins, Farthest Field Farm.
- Nicolas Lindholm, Blue Hill Berry Company.
- Kevin Leavitt, Farmer Kev’s.
- Seth Yentes, North Branch Farm.
- Caitlin Frame, The MilkHouse.
- Steve Sinisi, Old Crow Ranch.
- Seth Kroeck, Crystal Spring Farm.
We were also honored to have Representative Chellie Pingree join us for the tractor brigade and speak about what’s going on in D.C. Rep. Pingree is fighting for small farmers in Maine and around the country, and to help her in her efforts, farmer Steve Sinisi presented her with a bucket of manure to take back to Washington — to help drive home the point that what the USDA is doing is B.S.
Yesterday was inspiring, and the tractor brigade is just the beginning. Our farmers are showing up, speaking out, and fighting back.
You can join them by taking these three simple actions:
- Write your members of Congress to take action on USDA cuts.
- Find a local farmers’ market, join a CSA, or support local stores that carry Maine farm products.
- Consider chipping in to help MOFGA’s work to support our farmers.
Together, we will continue to show everyone the strength and leadership of Maine farms and build the local food system that we all want.
