$127M in Restored Grants from USDA’s Access Program
TL/DR –
The US federal government has reversed its decision to cancel grants for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (LCM) Program, which benefits underserved producers. The program, which was initially funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan Act under President Joe Biden’s administration and provided an estimated $300 million to entities such as tribes, farmers’ associations, and universities, was previously cut under Donald Trump’s presidency. Now, a preliminary injunction has restored $127 million in grants, following a lawsuit against the USDA by multiple organizations and local governments.
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Federal Government Reinstates Previously Cancelled Agricultural Grants
The federal government has reversed its previous decision to cancel grants aimed at underserved producers, as reported by AFROTECH.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (LCM) Program, which originally received funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan Act during President Joe Biden’s term, had its support diminished during the Trump administration. The program had been projected to provide an estimated $300 million starting from 2023 to entities such as tribes, farmers’ associations, and universities. The funds were intended to assist underserved producers with various services including down payment assistance, low-interest loans, farmer training, and infrastructure support.
Under Trump’s administration, support for the program was cut with claims that the grants were wasteful and abusive, leading to the filing of the lawsuit, USDN v. USDA, in June 2025. The lawsuit was led by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), and later joined by 24 additional organizations and local governments.
The reversal came after 24 grantees won a preliminary injunction restoring $127 million in grants. This decision, made by Judge Beryl Howell, stipulated that the reinstatement of the grants was to be effective by July 3, 5 p.m. ET. Howell highlighted that the plaintiffs demonstrated that cancellation of their grants was likely contrary to the statute, and that they would suffer irreparable harm if relief was not granted. Howell also indicated that the reinstatement of the grants was in favor of the balance of equities and public interest.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Amanda Koehler, a young farmer and manager of the LCM Network, commented, “The LCM program was the federal government’s most meaningful attempt to address the compounding challenges the next generation of producers like me face…and the Trump administration unlawfully pulled the rug out from under them.”
Hannah Wolf, FarmSTAND staff attorney and counsel for the plaintiff groups in USDN, also celebrated the court’s decision, stating, “The court’s order reinstating $127 million in Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access grants is a massive victory for the people across the U.S. who are building a fairer and more sustainable food system in their communities.”
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