Op-ed: USDA Canceled $300 Million in Contracts for First-Generation Farmers. What a Waste

April 07, 2026 | Source: Civil Eats | by Amanda Koehler

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $300 million to 50 community-based, locally led projects in an effort to support small farmers.

The funding came through the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program (ILCM), the result of years of advocacy. It was the federal government’s most ambitious effort to address the compounding barriers that young, underserved, and first-generation producers face in starting and sustaining a farm.

In March, the USDA ended those projects, terminating the ILCMA contracts and effectively abandoning the next generation of farmers.

I have spent nearly a decade fighting for that generation, while trying to realize my own farm dreams. I’m the manager of the Land, Capital, and Market Access Network, so the USDA’s decision to end the contracts hits me twice: as an advocate and as a farmer.

I own and operate Maple Urban Farm in Saint Paul, Minnesota, producing eggs, vegetables, fruits, and herbs to feed my family and my neighbors. I’m a homeowner, the owner and operator of two successful businesses, and a graduate of a farm business management course. I have the skills, drive, and commitment to grow my urban farm into a robust, profitable operation.

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