USDA Land-Access Program Termination Leaves West Virginia Beginning Farmers in Limbo
May 27, 2026 | Source: Substack.com | by Farm Action Policy Feed
West Virginia producers lose key support after USDA program termination
What happened: A federal agriculture program designed to help beginning and underserved farmers access land, equipment, training, and markets was gaining momentum in West Virginia before the Trump administration abruptly canceled it earlier this year. The USDA’s Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access program supported projects aimed at expanding opportunities for new farmers, but organizations involved say the sudden termination left planned projects and long-term investments in limbo.
In McDowell County, West Virginia, groups like Economic Development Greater East (EDGE) had been using the funding to help aspiring farmers launch small agricultural businesses raising meat goats and mountain-range chickens, managing honeybee operations, and planting fruit orchards. Local partners say the program directly addressed one of the biggest barriers facing rural communities: land access. According to EDGE leadership, roughly 70% of the land in McDowell County is owned by corporations and sits largely unused despite the region’s agricultural potential.