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Author: Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Executive Director
Dear Pasa Community:
As you likely know, many federal funding recipients were notified in January that an Executive Memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget paused action on both existing and future federal assistance programs, including most climate- and equity-related grants—Pasa among them.
With more than 95% of our funding going to direct support for farmers, we know that these grants are not abstract numbers on a ledger—they are real, binding agreements with farmers who have made critical business decisions based on the availability of these funds. If these agreements are broken, the consequences will be immediate and severe for both our organization and the farmers we serve.
While the duration and full impact of the freeze remain uncertain, our commitment to our mission and community remains unwavering. We will share updates as we learn more, and in the meantime, I invite you to take action with us.
Reach out to US Secretary of Agriculture Rollins and urge her to honor the binding agreements USDA made with farmers, ranchers, and the organizations that support them, and to ensure that farmers receive the reimbursements they are owed.
Call (833) ONE-USDA or (202) 720-7100 or email AgSec@usda.gov to share your story and explain how this inaction is impacting you and your livelihood, If you’d like, you can use the below template to help craft your message:
INTRODUCE YOURSELF
My name is [YOUR NAME]. I live [AND/OR FARM, SUPPORT FARMERS, LAND STEWARDS, ETC) in [CITY/STATE].
EXPRESS YOUR CONCERN
I am very concerned about the current policies being put in place at USDA that will withhold funding, compromise the data of farmers and the community-based organizations that support them, reverse decades of progress towards achieving equity for underrepresented communities, and push our farmers off their land and communities into devastating economic and food insecurity.
ASK HER TO TAKE SPECIFIC ACTION
I am asking you to lead by example in holding the USDA to the Prompt Payment Act, and ensure that farmers and the community-based organizations that serve them can receive the Congressionally-approved funding they need to keep growing food for our communities. I urge you to defend this funding and to please convey my concerns to US House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson.
THANK HER
Thank you for your service to our nation’s farmers.
Members of Congress will be in their home districts February 17-22 and March 17-22—an ideal time to urge them to address the funding freeze’s impact on agriculture. Schedule an in-person meeting if possible, or send an email or voicemail.
Find your representatives’ contact info here.
Use the same template above to craft your message, adding: “I live/work/farm in the [ZIP CODE] area of your district” in your introduction.
Membership is free for farmers, and open to Community Members and Businesses, as well. Please become a member today, and invite your peers and fellow farmers to do the same—a stronger network means a louder voice in advocating for these vital programs and for the future of sustainable agriculture.
Now more than ever, individual contributions from supporters like you are essential to sustaining our work. Please give what you can today to help secure the future of sustainable agriculture.
Amidst this uncertainty, Pasa will continue advocating for farmers, defending these programs, and keeping our community and those we serve informed every step of the way. But we also can’t do this alone. Meaningful change arises from collective action, and I invite you to join us in whatever way you are able. Thank you.
In solidarity,
Hannah Smith-Brubaker
