The Aggregate Aggregation V7
Agroecology in the News (Week of March 17, 2025)
Welcome back to The Aggregate Aggregation, our weekly roundup of news and publications that caught our eyes over the last week or so. You can read Volume 6 here.
In addition to featuring reactions to federal agriculture policy, we included links to stories covering more federal ag policy changes, especially news about a forthcoming $10B payout to commodity growers. Bird flu and egg prices continue to make headlines, and we’ll continue featuring these updates as the issue continues to evolve. Don’t miss our final section of links which highlight really interesting topics on specific crops and food culture, from caviar to coffee.
Let’s make it a conversation! Please share your reflections - we’d love to continue the discussion in the comments.
Digging Deep: Keeping an eye on small farm, local food chain viability
In this issue, we’d like to call our readers’ attention to themes between the headlines. Specifically, the wave of reactions we’re seeing in response to changes in federal agriculture policy. These changes affect everyone in the food system, from consumers to farmers to the academics and non-profits who support this system. As we highlighted last week, and see again this week, the “industrial” food system and “agroecological” food system are likely to see very different outcomes from these changes. Small farmers and local food chains seem increasingly at risk.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on these changes - who do you see benefiting? What outcomes, positive or otherwise, do you see resulting from these changes? Please leave us a comment!
Surface Level
✍️Reactions to federal agriculture policy, especially recent changes
Will Local Food Survive Trump’s USDA? (Civil Eats). “In that moment of crisis, the resilience and adaptability those farms, ranches, markets, and food hubs demonstrated sparked new policies and investments in local and regional food systems. Under President Biden, the USDA became a primary funder, expanding a suite of programs that support regional food systems from seed to processing to plate… USDA’s cancellation of the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance programs has garnered headlines, but they are just two of more than a dozen programs supporting small farms and regional food infrastructure that have been impacted. The agency has also canceled individual contracts—within programs including the Farmers Market Promotion Program and the Local Food Promotion Program—with groups that train young farmers, provide technical assistance to small farms, and help connect small farms to markets in their “local communities, based on words like “equitable” appearing in their contracts.”
Op-Ed: Supporting Cooperation of the Public and Private Sectors for a Food System Which Is the Envy of the World (Morning Ag Clips). “Federal programs have undeniably shaped the U.S. agricultural landscape, providing critical support through subsidies, research funding, and nutritional assistance. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives hinges on equitable distribution of resources, increased funding for research and extension services, and a balanced approach that considers both economic viability and sustainability. To ensure a prosperous future for American agriculture, policymakers must prioritize funding for climate-resilient practices, streamline access to federal support for small and mid-sized farms, and reinvigorate investments in research and education. By doing so, federal programs can continue to play a vital role in advancing sustainable farm practices, enhancing food security, and supporting the livelihoods of farmers across the nation. Stop the nonsense, let’s get back to real problem-solving.”
United Farm Workers & residents sue Border Patrol over alleged discriminatory operation (Bakersfield Now). “In a release from ACLU, it said, ‘The operation appears to have been designed to stop, detain, and arrest people of color who appeared to be farmworkers or day laborers, regardless of their actual immigration status or individual circumstances, transport them back to the El Centro Border Patrol Station, and coerce them into “voluntary departure,” a form of summary expulsion which can result in a yearslong bar on reentry to the U.S.’”
Trump’s Tariffs: Are the Trade Groups Happy? (Ambrook Research). “The new tariffs are poised to fall heavily on the American agriculture industry — but not evenly across all sectors. The retaliatory tariffs from China on U.S. goods are deeply concerning to the export-heavy soybean industry. Others, like beef and cattle, whose domestic market competes against cheaper meat from South America, want more tariffs imposed on U.S. imports. And all farmers reliant on fertilizer are waiting to see if prices will surge as they restock their supply for the fall planting season.”
A New Path for Small Farmers in the Southeast? The Southern Farmers Financial Association, years in the making, could be a lifeline for Black farmers and rural communities, but is in jeopardy now. (Civil Eats). “The Southern Farmers Financial Association (SFFA) is a cooperative, mission-driven bank designed to lower the barriers to accessing credit for small farmers, especially those in high-poverty and low-resource areas… The Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided the SFFA effort with $20 million in initial funding to be dispersed through the USDA—and the bank has had plans to open its doors towards the end of the first quarter of 2025. However, with the Trump administration’s sweeping executive orders and recent crackdown on alleged “radical and wasteful programs,” as well as programs related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and climate change, things are now uncertain.”
Hochul worried impact of dismantling U.S. Education Department would have on school meals (NY State of Politics). “New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday she is worried about the impact of President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Department of Education. The governor was at Eagle Point Elementary School in Albany, a place she said relies heavily on the federal government for subsidizing school lunches. According to Hochul, Albany County gets $6 million from the federal government for student school breakfasts and lunches and elimination of the Education Department could jeopardize that. ‘That’s a $2 billion hit for New York state if they eliminate this program. We’re very concerned about it,’ Hochul told reporters.”
Frozen Climate And Conservation Funds Leave Farmers In Limbo (Science Friday podcast). “Around the country, farmers are planning and planting this year’s crops. It can be uncertain work, made even more tenuous by some of the Trump administration’s changes to climate and conservation policies… Host Flora Lichtman talks with Patrick Brown, a farmer in Warren County, North Carolina; and Dr. Kitty O’Neil, an agricultural climate resiliency specialist at Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension about the future of farming in a changing climate.”
Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal (NSAC). “Today’s government funding deal locks in and deepens cuts that will have a direct line to farmer livelihoods and the economic well-being of their communities.”
Uninsured: Federal Crop Insurance Program Leaves Most Farms Unprotected (NSAC). “Crop insurance is the cornerstone of the farm safety net, insuring farms for losses from unpredictable weather, market fluctuations, and other risks. Consequently, the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) is the costliest part of agriculture production spending, as taxpayers subsidize the program to the tune of billions of dollars each year. Despite being a cornerstone program, crop insurance caters primarily to the largest farms while stifling the participation of those with specialty crop production, diverse production systems, and direct marketing models. This post offers a deep dive into federal crop insurance coverage, looking at which farms are being left out of current coverage, why, and how the program can be strengthened to serve all American farmers.”
💰The USDA rolls out $10B for commodity farmers
USDA Expediting $10B in Direct Economic Assistance to Agricultural Producers (Morning Ag Clips). “... the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing up to $10 billion directly to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), ECAP will help agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices.”
The USDA regularly makes funds available to farmers for “relief” related to changing markets or natural disasters. Last year, the FSA released funds to speciality crop producers as part of the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program. ECAP, at $10B, is much larger than MASC and targets commodity crop operations only.
USDA Prioritizes Economic Relief for Commodity Farmers (Civil Eats Policy Tracker). “The USDA announced today it would roll out economic relief payments to commodity farmers starting tomorrow, two days ahead of the deadline set by Congress. The new program will be called the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program. Congress included $10 billion in last December’s spending bill to compensate those farmers for low crop prices and high input costs. Farmers will be able to apply for the funding starting tomorrow. The USDA also said it will streamline the process by sending pre-filled applications to farmers who are eligible: The program is for growers of corn, soybeans, rice, sorghum, oilseeds, and other row crops.”
🇺🇸Federal policy changes continue
Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm (New York Times). “The Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate its scientific research arm, firing as many as 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists, according to documents reviewed by Democrats on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The strategy is part of large-scale layoffs, known as a ‘reduction in force,’ being planned by the Trump administration, which is intent on shrinking the federal work force. Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the E.P.A., has said he wants to eliminate 65 percent of the agency’s budget. That would be a drastic reduction — one that experts said could hamper clean water and wastewater improvements, air quality monitoring, the cleanup of toxic industrial sites, and other parts of the agency’s mission… Eliminating the office would serve the Trump administration’s dual goals of reducing the size of government while potentially easing the regulation of the chemical and fossil fuel industries.”
Tuberville, Colleagues Push for Healthier Food Options for SNAP Participants (Press release). “The Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) are designed to help low-income families and individuals access the healthy food options they need. However, the GusNIP program currently only include funding for fresh produce, not frozen. The SHOPP Act would give local GusNIP providers the ability to provide frozen fruits and vegetables, which work better for SNAP participants who may live in rural or urban food deserts.”
🐓As usual: bird flu and egg prices
The Spread of H5N1 HPAI Calls for Stepped Up Action, FAO Says (Morning Ag Clips). “The spread of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, bringing losses of hundreds of millions of poultry worldwide with increased spillover into mammals, highlights the urgent need for strengthened biosecurity, monitoring and surveillance, rapid-response mechanisms, and risk communication to safeguard the poultry sector and protect livelihoods and economies. That was the message from a briefing by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to Member countries here today.”
UN agency warns of ‘unprecedented’ bird flu threat as H5N1 virus jumps to mammals (Politico via Food Fix). “FAO officials are urging governments to ramp up surveillance, strengthen biosecurity and bolster outbreak response. ‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,’ FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol said, emphasizing the need for coordinated global action to curb the virus’s spread and prevent further disruptions to food systems. While wild birds play a key role in transmission, evidence also points to high-density poultry farming as a factor that can accelerate outbreaks when biosecurity measures fail. Large farms, where thousands of birds are housed close together, create ideal conditions for the virus to spread and mutate.”
Wholesale egg prices have ‘plunged,’ analyst says — shoppers may soon see some relief (CNBC via Food Fix). “Wholesale egg prices have fallen more than 40% since the end of February. The pullback comes amid a reprieve from major bird flu outbreaks so far in March and weaker consumer demand, which have helped the nation’s egg supply to start recovering. Retail egg prices broke a record high in February. It’s unclear how rapidly, and how much, they will drop.”
As bird flu continues to spread, Trump administration sidelines key pandemic preparedness office (CNN). “The Trump administration has not staffed an office established by Congress to prepare the nation for future pandemics, according to three sources familiar with the situation. The White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy was established by Congress in 2022 in response to mistakes that led to a flat-footed response to the Covid-19 pandemic… The new administration has not halted the country’s response to bird flu completely, but recent agency announcements and interviews with government sources show its focus has changed. For example, a leading goal of the response now is to bring down egg prices, rather than tackling the spread of the virus or preparing for a worst-case scenario in which the virus mutates and spreads easily from person to person.”
Rep. Josh Riley introduces bipartisan bill to adjust rules for egg farmers in aim to lower prices (NY State of Politics). “The Lowering Egg Prices Act would address federal regulations that require farmers to refrigerate eggs immediately after they are laid, but current regulations do not distinguish between table eggs — raw products that need to be refrigerated — and breaker eggs — which are pasteurized for use in products like salad dressing, cake mix and pasta.”
USDA Update on Progress of Five-Pronged Strategy to Combat Avian Flu and Lower Egg Prices (USDA press release). “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins hosted a stakeholder update today [March 20th, 2025] to provide the first progress report on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) five-pronged strategy to combat highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and lower egg prices. Less than a month after the plan’s rollout, USDA reports significant advancements across all five areas.”
Kennedy’s Alarming Prescription for Bird Flu on Poultry Farms (New York Times, via Food Fix). “Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official, has an unorthodox idea for tackling the bird flu bedeviling U.S. poultry farms. Let the virus rip,” writes Apoorva Mandavilli… Yet veterinary scientists said letting the virus sweep through poultry flocks unchecked would be inhumane and dangerous, and have enormous economic consequences.”
🔄Everything else that caught our eyes
Caviar’s Shifting Tides: The caviar renaissance is well underway. But what will it take to make sturgeon farming sustainable? (Ambrook Research). “To make caviar “sustainable” was thought to cheapen it. But now that caviar has been steadily increasing in popularity, attitudes around its origins are changing. No longer does it have to be harvested from endangered species and flown in on the black market from Russia or Iran to be considered top-notch. It can be farmed here, from fish indigenous to the U.S., using the aquaculture equivalent of regenerative methods. But without a robust certification system to standardize ethical practices across the industry, sustainable brands like Tsar Nicoulai have few means to differentiate themselves from other caviar purveyors that import their product from dubiously regulated foreign farms.”
Hot Potatoes: Florida breeders are building spuds that can beat the heat, for an overlooked part of the tuber supply chain. (Ambrook Research). “From about 2 percent of the country’s potato acreage, they meet roughly a third of U.S. demand from February through June… Yet Floridian farmers are working to fill that niche with a plant that was originally domesticated under very different circumstances — the highlands of the Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia. Those climatic roots make potatoes a natural fit for places like Idaho, and efforts to improve the crop by breeding have focused on varieties for cooler, drier conditions.”
Adverse Climatic Conditions Drive Coffee Prices to Highest Level in Years (Morning Ag Clips). “World coffee prices reached a multi-year high in 2024 – increasing 38.8 percent on the previous year’s average – mostly driven by inclement weather affecting key producing countries, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said today.”
Quinoa’s rise and fall: Podcast episode from Eat This Podcast, where the author, Emma McDonnell, of “The Quinoa Bust: The Making and Unmaking of an Andean Miracle Crop” is interviewed about her book. Aggregate editors learned quite a bit about quinoa and its origin in the mountains of Peru. A good example of a “where does your food come from story” that isn’t fully told until you go deeper.
What did we miss? Drop a link to your favorite story of the week (or month, or year) in the comments. Tell us why it resonated with you!
What we’re reading
A list of sources the editors at The Aggregate check regularly for our agroecology+ news.