By Professor Susan A. Schneider
This website is for educational purposes only. It does not provide legal advice. It is designed as a companion website to the book Food Farming & Sustainability, but it is also a publicly available freestanding resource. While efforts will be made to keep resources current, I cannot promise that I will keep ahead of all of the changes. Links to other helpful resources will be provided.
New developments are added each week, so please check back frequently.
Documents & Links
April 14, 2025 Update: Insightful article about a new way to address depression and suicide in the face of farm financial distress: Farmers face one of the highest rates of suicide. This social worker believes the solution is buried in their land, The Guardian (Apr. 10, 2025)
February 24, 2025: Inside the USDA, Staffers Struggle with Trump’s Funding Freeze (One office in the Agriculture Department provides a window into how efforts to comply with Trump’s DEI order have halted some grant payments, even as judges have ordered the federal government to end its broad funding freeze.) Wash. Post (Feb. 24, 2025)
February 24, 2025: The Farm Bureau is reporting a significant increase in farm bankruptcies. See Ryan Hanrahan, Farm Bankruptcies Increased 55% in 2024, Farm Policy News, Farm Doc, Univ. of Illinois.
February 20, 2025: USDA says it will release $20 million of frozen farmer funds, Reuters (Feb. 20, 2024). The USDA announced that it will release approximately $20 million in conservation contract funding.This funding relates to contracts previously entered into by farmers and the USDA. Withholding this funding was not permitted under a federal court order. The USDA announcement indicates that this is the "first tranche" of funding paused by the administration and that its review of other funding continues, despite the court order. See, U.S. Judge says Trump administration violated order lifting spending freeze, Reuters (Feb. 10, 2025).
February 18, 2025: There is considerable fear and uncertainty among farmers and rural communities as aid that they depend on is withheld, contracts are placed on hold for review, and markets are lost. Trump administration actions up to this point have not been good for farmers or the farm economy. The following news segment explains:
Farmers feeling weight of Trump policies with shutdown of aid, PBS NewsHour (Feb. 17, 2025)
See also: Letter from President of Farmers Union, Trump’s funding freeze leaves American farmers like me out in the cold, Rob Larew (Feb. 16, 2023)
The National Farmers Union is collecting information from farmers who have contracts with the USDA that are not being honored or program benefits that have been frozen or denied. Please pass this collection website on to farmers and ranchers effected. Anonymous posting is an option.
Websites
University of Illinois provides excellent information on both current developments and longer term analysis:
General Legal Resources
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U.S. Code (statutes)
Agricultural Law Resources
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USDA, ERS, Farm Economy
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USDA, Farm Service Agency, Farm Loan Programs
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USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture
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USDA NASS, Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL)
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USDA ERS Land Use, Land Value & Tenure
2010 - present
2010 - present
Susan Schneider began her legal career advising family farmers in financial distress. She integrates this practical experience into all of her teaching and writing. She now serves as the William H. Enfield Professor of Law and Director of the LL.M. Program in Agricultural & Food Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law.