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Author: Marie Hathaway
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2025
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
1631 N Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
pasafarming.org
Contact:
Anya Hanna, Associate Director for Communications
814.349.9856 x 767
anya@pasafarming.org
HARRISBURG, PA — Pasa Sustainable Agriculture announced that it will be represented as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed yesterday by the Southern Environmental Law Center and Public Rights Project, who will be jointly representing fellow plaintiffs: The Sustainability Institute; Agrarian Trust; Bronx River Alliance; CleanAIRE NC; Conservation Innovation Fund; Marbleseed; and the cities of Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; New Haven, Connecticut; and San Diego, California.
The suit seeks to restore the flow of funding and justice for the irreparable harm caused by the ongoing federal funding freeze, which has disrupted Pasa’s operations and delivered substantial negative impacts to the communities they serve.
In 2022, Pasa dedicated six months to developing a federal grant proposal aimed at meeting the needs of its farmers and another six months negotiating with USDA, finalizing a contract in 2023 that was aligned with the agency’s stated goals. The organization has built a widely popular and impactful program from the ground up, providing farmers with critical financial and technical support.
Despite upholding its end of the agreement and operating in good faith under a binding contract, the organization now finds itself expected to continue this work without payment. As of today, Pasa is owed more than $3 million (and growing) in outstanding reimbursements and has received no payments for more than 60 days—double the net 30 contract terms agreed upon with USDA. Although it had responsibly built rainy day funds, the organization has now exhausted its reserves and is forced to furlough more than 60 staff members as a direct result of the freeze.
The funding freeze is not only jeopardizing Pasa’s business operations but is also creating dire consequences for the farmers it serves. Many farmers made crucial business decisions based on the expectation of funding, only to be left without the support they were promised. Now, they are further behind in the growing season and forced to absorb costs they expected would be reimbursed.
The ripple effects of the freeze extend beyond individual farms, as dollars that should have been circulated through local economies—for fence installation, seed supply, nursery stock, and other essential agricultural needs—have been withheld. These stalled funds were intended to support conservation practices such as cover cropping, prescribed grazing, and conservation crop rotation—practices that enhance soil health, protect water quality, and improve resilience to extreme weather. Without this support, farms, surrounding communities and downstream neighbors face increased vulnerability to flooding, drought, and pollution. The broader consequences will likely include higher food prices, additional strain on public health, and weakened local food systems.
“We’ve heard Secretary Rollins portray as ‘nonsensical’ what our farmers consider to be vital programs, in her mind providing justification for DOGE to terminate them. What’s truly ‘nonsensical’ is the arbitrary and baseless cancellation of legally binding agreements—agreements between the federal government and the very people and organizations whose tax dollars fund these programs,” said Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Executive Director Hannah Smith-Brubaker. “The government must restore trust by honoring its commitments. Farmers are counting on it, and we are all counting on USDA and the entire executive branch to do the right thing and uphold these binding agreements.”
Pasa Executive Director Hannah Smith-Brubaker will address the Pasa community in a virtual Town Hall scheduled for Wednesday, March 26 at 6:30 pm EDT, when she will deliver further remarks about the freeze, its impact on the organization, and the newly filed suit. Attendees are invited to register online.
The organization has expressed its gratitude to the SELC and Public Rights Project for taking on this case and for doing so pro bono. With their expert representation, Pasa looks forward to resolving the case in court, restoring its binding agreement, resuming its approved funding, and continuing to carry out its mission of serving the nation’s sustainable farmers.
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Pasa Sustainable Agriculture cultivates environmentally sound, economically viable, and community-focused farms and food systems. Learn more about the impact of the federal funding freeze on Pasa and its community at pasafarming.org/funding-freeze-resources.
