Rep. Adams Slams USDA for Cutting Funding for Rural Business Centers Supporting Farmers

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), Senior Member of the House Agriculture Committee, released a statement calling for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reinstate funding for Regional Food Business Centers (RFBCs). The USDA froze funds for the program in January and announced today they were cancelling the program entirely, cutting services to thousands of farms, farmers, and food businesses.

A USDA report from October 2024 found that RFBCs already led to 2,800 individuals receiving technical assistance, 1,500 new partnerships formed by recipients, and 287 businesses reporting increased revenue as a result of the program.

“While cost of living skyrockets and our farmers struggle to make ends meet due to the reckless trade war, the Trump Administration is stripping away a lifeline to our agriculture communities,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Our small, mid-sized, and family farms are the backbone of our economy, but this administration has chosen to abandon them by defunding the Regional Food Business Centers. Investing in our rural communities is always the right thing to do and I demand the USDA reinstate this program so we can offer our farmers and agriculture producers the support they deserve.”

Cuts to the RFCB program add to other program cancellations led by the Trump Administration earlier this year that impact farmers. Specifically, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and Local Food for Schools directly supported local farmers by enabling them to sell their products to schools and food banks before its cancellation in March.