We have resources to help assess your options, take action, and gain a little more certainty in these turbulent times!

Print Resources

We’ve created a series of clear, practical guides to help producers and organizations take action and gain clarity in these uncertain times. Whether you’re facing silence, a funding freeze, or a termination notice, these step-by-step, user-friendly resources can help you understand your options and move forward with confidence.

Take Action to Protect Your USDA Signed Agreement: Roadmap. This 3-pager highlights practical, no-cost options producers and nonprofits can take to gain clarity and protect their rights. It serves as a roadmap by linking to additional resources based on which agency issued the agreement and whether the funding is frozen, delayed, or terminated. It includes a list of common contracts and grants, organized by the issuing agency, to help you identify next steps.

Sending an Inquiry Letter to Protect Your USDA Signed Agreement. This resource is for farmers and organizations who haven’t received written notice about the status of their USDA funding or aren’t ready to appeal a written funding freeze notice. This guide explains how to send a respectful, professional inquiry letter that asks for clarity, preserves your rights, and builds a paper trail. Includes sample letters you can easily adapt to your situation.

Filing a NAD Appeal to Protect Your USDA Signed Agreement.  For those with a signed agreement from NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service), FSA (Farm Service Agency), RD (Rural Development), RBS  (Rural Business-Cooperative Service),  or RMA (Risk Management Agency)–who have received a written freeze or termination notice. This guide explains why, when, and how to file a USDA National Appeals Division (NAD) appeal. It addresses common concerns and what to expect, lists detailed steps, and includes Sample NAD Appeal Letters. Note: Must file NAD appeal within 30 days of receiving an “adverse decision” from one of these agencies.

Sending a Review Request Letter to NIFA or AMS to Protect Your USDA Signed Agreement. For organizations with signed grant awards from NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) or AMS (Agriculture Marketing Service) who have received a written notice of freeze or termination. This guide explains why and how to submit a “Review Request Letter” to appeal the USDA’s decision. It includes tips for framing your arguments and Sample Letters you can tailor to your situation.

Note: The above take-action series of resources reorganizes the content we previously released to make it more streamlined. The original resources are valid and accurate for farmers and organizations that have already accessed them. They also include further background information about the rights to receive reimbursements and the appeal process, so we are keeping them here for folks who want more details regarding “why” to take action. See Legacy Resources below.

Videos (Recorded Webinars)

Check out our recorded webinar from March 12 on Filing an Appeal to Protect Your Rights for farmers and nonprofit organizations with signed contracts and grants. This program walks folks through the motivations and processes for filing an appeal or an inquiry letter.

Also check out our Federal Funding Freeze Update #2, recorded from our March 13 webinar. It reviews the latest action steps for farmers and nonprofits, plus general legal perspective as we move forward together.

On March 28, we offered this Federal Funding Freeze Update #3 that emphasized exploration of new (and potentially expanding) developments around agreement modifications. We also explore the latest updates on freezes, terminations, and impact litigation.

Legacy Resources

For farmers and ranchers with signed USDA contracts: USDA Contract Freezes and Terminations: Legal Action Steps for Farmers with Signed Contracts Version 2 provides solutions to critical questions like… How can farmers make an appeal or bring a lawsuit to enforce the contract? Are farmers required to perform on the contract even if the funding has been frozen?

For nonprofits and institutions with signed grant awards: USDA Contract Freezes and Terminations: Legal Action Steps for Nonprofits with Signed Grant Agreements Version 2 provides more information on the USDA’s discretion to terminate grants and mechanics of filing an appeal through NAD or sending a “Review Request” letter. Note: Version 2 updates the Sample Letters and clarifies that for AMS, a review request letter might need to be sent within 30 days of receiving an AMS grant termination notice.

Timely, effective legal education requires expertise and time. We would love your partnership in ensuring we can continue to provide this information to farmers and their advocates for as long as necessary. Please consider donating, joining as a member, and reaching out to us for further opportunities. Thank you!