USDA | IATP

IATP Responds to the Senate Farm Bill

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has released the following statement from Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities, in response to the Senate Farm Bill text released today:

One step forward, two steps back for conservation

IRA freeze and DOGE cuts limit farmer access to popular conservation programs. The on-farm conservation programs EQIP and CSP provide vital support for farmers to increase resilience and improve environmental outcomes on their farms. But following federal cuts to USDA funding and staffing, program acceptance rates dropped off steeply in fiscal year 2025. Learn more in our latest report.

Headwinds for factory farm biogas open doors for better alternatives

In April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would stop providing loan guarantees for methane biodigester projects on large animal operations for the rest of 2026. While the USDA’s concerns were financial, given the questionable climate benefits and other environmental concerns, pausing loans for biodigesters is a step in the right direction.

This status quo Farm Bill does not meet the moment we’re in

As its written, the House Farm Bill set to go to vote this week helps broken programs limp along while ignoring glaring issues facing farmers today. On issue after issue — crop insurance, unfair corporate practices, conservation funding, climate resilience — this Farm Bill falls short.

The (not so) hidden costs of increasing USDA crop insurance subsidies

As USDA is cutting programs that support sustainability and market access for smaller farmers, the Department has made a series of changes to crop insurance subsidies mostly benefiting large commodity farms, which are funneling billions of dollars directly to insurers.

Farming in the Dark: Unreliable USDA data jeopardizes a sustainable farming transition

As farmers struggle to adjust to a changing climate that has led to an increased frequency of droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events, incomplete or inaccurate public data has become a growing concern, and federal programs designed to provide farmers with information have been pared back.

The New Farm Bill: In the face of farm crisis, this bill offers status quo and empty promises

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has released the following statement from Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities, in response to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, House Agriculture Committee Republ

USDA’s new Regenerative Agriculture Initiative: A step forward or greenwashing?

In late 2025, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), along with the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the launch of a Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, also known as the Regenerative Agriculture Initiative (RAI).

Climate-smart farming has risen the ranks in Midwest states

Since 2021, EQIP contracts for "climate-smart" practices have increased above general practices in all 12 Midwest states with help from IRA funding  Summary 

Trump administration throws money at an emerging farm crisis, with no end in sight

On New Year’s Eve, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the details for $11 billion of a $12 billion farm bailout plan.