rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/ask-congress-to-protect-farmer-contracts?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-ask-congress-to-protect-farmer-contracts' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> OrganicFarmersAssociation https://actionnetwork.org/groups/organic-farmers-association https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/443/365/normal/AA_Email_Header_USDA_Land_Access_Grants_04.26_(1).png The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program, a $300 million initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, was abruptly canceled in late March 2026. Intended to support 50 five-year projects launched in 2023, these grants were designed to provide essential training and financial support for young, beginning, and underserved farmers, including Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and veteran farmers. In a shocking move, the USDA has canceled 49 of the 50 active contracts. This follows a year of administrative changes for farmers to juggle. With the vast majority of farmland owned by non-farming landlords and prices continuing to skyrocket, these grants were a lifeline for the next generation of producers. Investing in the next generation of farmers is critical to rural economies and national food security, and the ILCMA program was designed to support the future of our nation. Grantees have already spent millions on staffing, legal fees for land easements, and support for developing farmers. The USDA FSA agency has spent two years designing this program for success. The USDA's failure to reimburse these costs as promised undermines faith in USDA contracts. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/ask-congress-to-protect-farmer-contracts