Being asked to consider amending a signed agreement isn’t an easy position to be in. As farmers, business owners and nonprofit directors, we expect contracts to be honored. We know the law is there to hold each side to their commitments as signed. However, we also know the implications of lost contracts and the difficulty of legal enforcement in this environment can weigh heavily. We each must consider our needs, values, and community in our minds as we navigate how and whether to make amendments to existing USDA agreements.

Our resource, Navigating Amendments to Your USDA Signed Agreement per Executive Orders: Options and Actions, addresses common questions about amendments and walks through the advantages and risks of key options  We also have a resource specific to REAP funding recipients: Sending an Inquiry Letter to Seek Clarity on USDA’s March 26 notification to REAP funding recipients–before the April 25 deadline to propose project changes. This resource explains the advantages of sending an inquiry letter and includes a Sample Inquiry Letter.

For those that prefer to learn via video, watch our recorded webinar on REAP: Evaluating Options Before the April 24 Deadline.