U.S. farmers lose millions after Trump freezes USDA funds: report

NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. farmers report missing millions of U.S. dollars of funding they were promised by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), despite promises from the Trump administration that a federal funding freeze would not apply to projects directly benefiting individuals, reported The Washington Post on Monday.

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump ordered the department to freeze funds for several programs designated by former President Joe Biden's signature clean-energy and health-care law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

"The freeze paused some funding for the department's Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which helps farmers address natural resource concerns, and the Rural Energy for America Program, which provides financial assistance for farmers to improve their infrastructure," noted the report.

Farmers who signed contracts with the department under those programs paid up front to build fencing, plant new crops and install renewable energy systems with guarantees that the federal government would issue grants and loan guarantees to cover at least part of their costs. Now, with that money frozen, they're on the hook, it said.

The USDA has also halted funding for other programs, including scientific research grants in agriculture and producing climate-smart crops, according to a letter sent to the agency Thursday from House Democrats on the Agriculture and Appropriations committees.