How Shifting Federal Priorities Have Impacted Black Farmers in the Great Lakes Region

Recent investments in climate-smart agriculture and similar initiatives have created opportunities for Black farmers that have historically been less likely to participate in federal funding programs.  But the abrupt shift in federal priorities and aggressive efforts to cancel or delay grants and programs has largely eliminated that progress. 

Michigan Sustainable Business Forum and Chicago Food Policy Action Council collaborated on a series of focus groups and a survey of Black farmers and food systems advocates as part of the RE-AMP Urban Food Systems Resource Action Team.  A project of the RE-AMP Network, the Action Team was chartered last year to build relationships, share resources, and document best practices in support of urban food systems organizations that were seeking increased funding from emerging opportunities at the intersection of food systems and climate change, such as federal grant programs that were being developed or expanded through the Inflation Reduction Act.  When it became apparent that funding opportunities for urban agriculture would be dramatically impacted as a result of shifting federal priorities, the Action Team turned its focus to farms that its work to date suggested would be disproportionately impacted.

It convened a steering committee comprised of representatives from farm or food businesses Jade Rabbit, Hulitt Homestead, Shannon Farm and Homestead LLC, Storehouse Grocers, Fresher Together, and Cultivation by Jas worked with researchers from DePaul University, West Michigan Young Farmers, and Grand Valley State University, along with MiSBF and CFPAC.  Over the course of a four-month period, it hosted focus groups or community conversations with 21 representatives of Black farms or Black-led food businesses or advocacy organizations, and received quantitative data from seven.

Their findings highlight systemic weaknesses in the accessibility, reliability, and equity of federal funding mechanisms for marginalized farming communities.  The recent funding freeze had exacerbated these inequities, with widespread effects, including lost or delayed grants and loans, curtailed farm operations, and increased financial strain.

Historical Inequities in Federal Funding

Most of the farms participating had previously applied for or received federal funding.  A significant barrier to federal funding access, even before the freeze, was the complexity and inaccessibility of the application process. Many farmers reported that navigating federal funding was daunting, especially for first-time applicants and those without administrative support.   Although there were larger and more established farms, the majority were less than five years old and smaller than five acres.  The burden of time-consuming paperwork, vague eligibility criteria, and last-minute communication around deadlines made accessing these resources difficult, particularly for farmers already stretched thin by the demands of their operations.  

“Sometimes you find out the grant is due in two weeks but it takes 100 hours to complete,” said Maya Etienne, LFPA Assistant Director at Faith Farms and Co-Executive Director of Calumet Collaborative in Indiana.  She recounted past efforts to improve the USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.  “In the first year they were going to be creative and find new streams and value chains for their farmers to be able to feed into the local community but the process kept changing. When they got their footing and found something that really uplifted a farmer, the rules would change in real time.” 

Some farmers have been denied funding due to technicalities, such as not having a specific model of infrastructure or missing instructions in grant applications. Lynette Moore, owner of Moore Garden and Farm in Muskegon, highlighted that she had been previously denied a USDA grant because her structure didn’t meet rigid guidelines, highlighting how unclear eligibility requirements keep many BIPOC farmers out. Participants reported experiences of discrimination, inconsistent communication, and structural limitations such as land tenure restrictions that disqualified them from otherwise accessible programs.  Several applicants were only able to apply with the help of more experienced collaborators or partners. 

In a community that is, according to focus group participants, historically skeptical of government support, trust in the system was already thin. Etienne noted that even before the funding freeze she did not want to share personal data with federal agencies. 

The freeze has further deepened the erosion of trust in government agencies, particularly among farmers of color, who perceive these changes not as isolated incidents but as part of a broader rollback of equity efforts, fueled by shifting political climates and the retreat from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives.  

Mel Carter, owner of Sunflower Soul Farm in Illinois, is a Veteran and had expected to receive priority in funding, but recent racial tensions and systemic discrimination have discouraged her from applying.  

Impacts of Federal Funding Decisions

Farmers reported plans to expand their operations, double food access efforts, or launch new programs, only to find those plans suspended due to the freeze.  Some had already completed work under multi-year grants and were awaiting future installments that never arrived. Others were in the early stages of applying but have paused, unsure whether opportunities still exist.

Increased uncertainty of operations was a key theme, particularly for small and urban farms that were in the midst of multi-year federally funded projects. Projects that were intended to span several years, providing consistency and capacity-building opportunities, have been paused or canceled, leaving farmers unsure of reimbursement timelines and scrambling to continue their work with diminished or nonexistent resources. This has hindered expansion efforts, prevented the hiring of necessary labor, and in some cases, jeopardized participation in educational and food justice programs.

Last year, Black Queen Bee in Kentwood, Michigan, provided fresh food to a dozen families and hoped to double that reach in 2025.  Owner Tonja Moyer shared that her farm’s expansion plans are postponed indefinitely. She applied for a small federal grant and hadn’t heard back, unsure if the silence is due to the freeze. Without funding, that growth is now on hold. 

Moore Garden and Farm, in its fifth season, applied for its first federal grant to hire additional staff.  With funding frozen, it continues to work alone, piecing together alternatives.

Baby Green Family Farm in Northwest Indiana is currently involved in multiple federal programs.  Owner Glenda George is concerned about planning. While she has been able to continue operations with previous funding, her goal to plan an expansion of her business into Chicago markets is threatened by the freeze. 

Farmers across the board expressed uncertainty around future funding, particularly with programs like LFPA, school-based food initiatives, and educational agriculture grants. Some operations were left waiting to reimburse subcontractors or expand growing spaces. In several cases, farms had to scale back efforts, cancel planned hiring, or freeze educational programs for youth and communities. 

How Black Farmers Have Responded

The 2025 Re-AMP conversations revealed varied impacts of the federal funding freeze on Black farmers. While some found ways to adapt, many are navigating halted projects, stalled expansion plans, and a growing distrust in federal systems. Their stories reflect the challenges and resilience across communities. 

There is widespread concern about the rollback of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts and what that means for BIPOC farmers. While some had started to see movement toward more equitable systems under recent initiatives, the current freeze and changing political climate have undermined that progress. Many fear that funding freezes and potential policy reversals may signal a return to exclusionary practices. Some expressed worry that this could mean less representation, fewer resources for small farms, and even the loss of land or educational opportunities. 

In response to these challenges, farmers are demonstrating resilience and innovation. Many have pivoted to alternative funding sources, including mutual aid networks, philanthropy, and crowdfunding platforms. Others are focusing on building their local customer bases, forming cooperatives, and creating partnerships with chefs and small businesses. Farmers have also voiced a collective desire to build long-term, sustainable solutions that reduce over-reliance on federal sources.

Above all, local knowledge sharing, community-based technical assistance, and friendship in the face of difficulty have emerged as powerful tools for navigating the current uncertainty. Many farmers are not only staying the course but actively investing in new infrastructure, market development, and advocacy efforts. This shift toward self-determined, community-rooted agricultural systems represents both a coping mechanism and a vision for a more just food future.

The federal funding freeze disrupted vital work being done by BIPOC farmers to support food access, education, environmental stewardship, and community health. Structural barriers persist, but these farmers are adapting with resilience, creativity, and determination. Their experiences call for policy changes, improved access, and investment in grassroots agricultural infrastructure to build a more equitable system to support historically disadvantaged farmers.

Recommendations Identified Through Focus Groups:

• Technical assistance with grant application
• Clear and early communication about funding opportunities
• Simplified application processes
• Multi-year grant structures for sustainability
• Access to local and private funders
• Stronger cooperative and mutual aid networks
• Inclusion of BIPOC voices in policy decisions
• Consistent, equitable USDA engagement across regions

We wish to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Action Team members:   

• Jasmine Bradley, Cultivation by Jas (Indiana)
• Mel Carter, Sunflower Soul Farm (Illinois)
• Keli Christopher, STEM Greenhouse, (Michigan)
• Dominique Edwards, Michigan Sustainable Business Forum (Indiana)
• Maya Etienne, Faith Farms/Calumet Collaborative (Indiana)
• Otho Farrow, Metropolis Greens (Indiana)
• Glenda George, Baby Green Family Farm (Indiana)
• Albert Hulitt, Hulitt Homestead (Indiana) 
• Hakenah Hulitt, Hulitt Homestead (Indiana) 
• Denise Jamerson, Legacy Taste of the Garden (Indiana)
• Ryann Monteiro, Organic Farmers Association, (Illinois)
• Lynette Moore, Moore Garden and Farm (Michigan)
• Eleanor Moreno, Kent County Food Policy Council (Michigan)
• Tonja Moyer, Black Queen Bee (Michigan)
• Chef Fresh Roberson, Fresher Together (Illinois) 

The initial phase of the project was led by Chicago Food Policy Action Council, Northwest Indiana Food Council, Cincinnati’s Green Umbrella, Kansas’s Climate + Energy Project, Cultivate Kansas City, and Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.

Among other activities, the 2024 initiative hosted a series of webinars and developed resources to support urban agriculture in fund development. Those can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF using the link below.