TDLR*: We’re as confused as you are, but this is what we know so far about the federal funding freeze. Because all of of this uncertainty, we want to help farmers and ranchers by giving you 30 days free of weekly funding email alerts.
The Federal Funding Freeze: What Happened and Where Things Stand
There’s many moving parts, making this confusing, so here’s what we know so far about the federal funding freeze:
The Timeline
- January 28: The White House budget office ordered a pause on all federal grants, loans, and financial assistance programs, according to a memo released Monday.
- Later that day: A federal judge temporarily blocked the funding freeze, issuing a stay that lasts until Monday, Feb. 3. The ruling applies only to existing programs.
- January 29: The Office of Management and Budget rescinded the memo that called for the freeze but left the broader spending review in place. The administration says federal agencies should consult legal counsel about how to implement the executive orders on funding.
- January 31: A second federal judge issued another temporary pause, siding with nearly two dozen states challenging the freeze. The ruling prevents most federal agencies from halting funding while the case moves forward. The administration opposed the ruling, calling it “sweeping relief.”
- February 3: The first federal judge extended the block on the federal funding freeze. This was due to several non-profit organizations claiming they were struggling to receive promised funds.
- February 11: Some farmers have reported issues with USDA funding being frozen, including funds related to conservation programs established under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The USDA has also informed some farmers that their contracts with the NRCS’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) have been frozen, with no clear timeline for when they will be released.
The situation is still evolving. While the freeze has technically been lifted, legal challenges continue, and the broader review of federal spending is still in place.
Stay Updated
We’re tracking this through these non-partisan sources:
Our Offer: 30 Days Free of Weekly Funding Alerts
To ease the whiplash of the funding freeze saga, we want to make sure that farmers and ranchers are aware of the funding opportunities available for the farm. So, while the powers that be figure things out, we’re flipping the script: we’re giving you 30 days free of weekly funding email alerts (or longer if until the situation is fully resolved).
During this time, we’ll keep you updated on the status of federal programs along with state/local programs, nonprofit programs, and private programs in our weekly email funding alerts. We know that these programs are a lifeline for the farming industry, and uncertainty is the last thing anyone needs right now.
What is this service and why do you need it? We keep you updated on the latest funding opportunities for your farm, saving hours of time searching.
How this works: we send farmers and ranchers weekly email funding alerts that includes local, state, regional, and federal grants, loans, and cost-shares. Since we’re in a limbo, we’ll keep you updated on the status of federal programs (and state/local programs, nonprofit programs, and private programs). Once the freeze is officially over, we will continue to send funding email alerts your way.
To get weekly email alerts, you must take our free funding-matching survey, so we know what funding opportunities fit your farm.
*TLDR means too long didn’t read; it’s the summary of this article. We know you’re busy, so we want to let you know what’s going on in 30 seconds or less.