In less than 18 months under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delayed and then slashed programs and funding for small farms. The changes have devastated fledgling efforts to support young and BIPOC farmers growing food in sustainable ways, as well as efforts to build local food infrastructure.

Those efforts were undertaken following the pandemic, which disrupted global supply chains and exposed the brittle nature of the U.S. food system.

Because they were designed as large, long-term projects, many were just getting started; now they’re losing ground.

Months of reporting by Civil Eats demonstrates that despite the turmoil, most of the farmers have endured and are continuing to feed their communities. However, they’re facing the future with fear and uncertainty, and their trust in the USDA is at an all-time low.

This series offers a big-picture look at the Trump administration’s impact on small farms and food producers, alongside deep dives into three programs that are now either completely defunct or are radically different: Local Food Purchase Assistance, Regional Food Business Centers, and Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.