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/reinstate-farmer-programs-and-funding?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-reinstate-farmer-programs-and-funding' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) https://actionnetwork.org/groups/maine-organic-farmers-and-gardeners-association-mofga https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/groups/default_facebook_images/000/148/383/original/MOFGA_Logo_01.png?1584471838 I wrote a letter to Congress about President Trump's executive orders to stop payments on USDA contracts with farmers who are working tirelessly to put food on our tables and build a resilient, healthy and local food and agriculture system. In Maine farmers are waiting on at least $1 million in contractual payments of funds appropriated by Congress and authorized by USDA. The total funding held up by executive orders is much higher when including money that remains on farmer contracts earmarked for work scheduled to happen this year, and it more than doubles when adding up the payments that nonprofit service providers are waiting on. The federal funding freeze coupled with cuts to USDA staffing has led to a rapid loss of technical assistance providers, threatening the sustainability of farm businesses across the country. Investing in programs that help farmers care for soil and water, become more self-reliant with energy systems, and create thriving local food economies is the highest and best use of our federal dollars. Please do everything you can to protect federal funding for farmers. Honor the contracts - pay the farmers! https://actionnetwork.org/letters/811fede0e2f171f3cfa966c5f47f888102f99633