Futurists in Farming and Agriculture

Its the same gravy...just heated over... .

Equity and resilience in local urban food systems

Local food systems can have economic and social benefits by providing income for producers and improving community
connections. Ongoing global climate change and the acute COVID-19 pandemic crisis have shown the importance of build-
ing equity and resilience in local food systems.

The federal government shutdown revealed how fragile the safety net is: SNAP uncertainty drove a 30% increase in demand at St. Mary’s Episcopal food pantry as more people sought emergency food.

Many small neighborhood businesses still struggle to accept SNAP/WIC due to technical and bureaucratic barriers

Finally, some justice is served amidst 's as new licenses are on the horizon for the

FL Applicants May Get Long-Awaited Licenses This Summer - CRB Monitor News It looks like Florida’s 22 new prospective operators will have to wait until the summer before they might finally get the licenses they have been waiting on for three years.

Farmers haven't seen a dime of Trump's $12B relief plan...

DNC War Room: Trump abandons America’s farmers (again) with his war of choice with Iran Donald Trump says he “loves farmers” and that he’ll “never do anything to hurt our farmers,” but his reckless trade war has devastated America’s farmers, and his unpopular war of choice with Iran has pushed them to a breaking point....

Proposed through 2031

"To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2031, and for other purposes."

agriculture.house.gov

"Although lack of interest is unlikely to explain lower participation among underserved farmers, the literature often cites a historical lack of trust in government agencies as a barrier (Robillard et al., 2024; Kadam et al., 2025). Even among eligible farmers aware of the programs, the decision to apply is influenced by their relationship with USDA offices and how well program requirements align with operational goals. For HUFRs, these relationships have often been shaped by experiences of perceived gender and racial discrimination—particularly among Black farmers and women (Touzeau, 2019; Guynn, Player, and Burns, 2024). Prior studies have documented disparities in land use conservation enforcement and FSA loan access for Black farmers (Balvanz et al., 2011), further undermining trust in USDA programs."

1st Quarter 2026 | Choices Magazine Online On April 27, 1935, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) was established by Law 74-46 within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA-NRCS, 2025b). It was later renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This reflected federal recognition that supporting conservation practices serves the...

The secretaries of education and agriculture under President Biden concluded that 16 historically Black land-grant institutions were underfunded by their states a total of $13 billion over three decades and called on governors to pay up. Trump’s executive order in support of HBCUs, signed last spring, also committed to “encouraging states to provide the required state matching funds for 1890 Land-Grant Institutions.”

College leaders hope to secure more funding and opportunities for their students as they ramp up collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The agreement reaffirms the “critical role we play in advancing this administration’s America First agenda, particularly through its recognition of the importance of agriculture to our nation’s economic strength, food security, and long-term sustainability,” she wrote to Inside Higher Ed. “Our work is not on the margins; it is at the core of the issues that shape our country’s future.”

In the agreement, the USDA committed to exploring opportunities for historically Black land-grant faculty and administrators to work within and contribute their expertise to the department. The department will also continue its network of USDA liaisons on campuses with the goal of “providing regional support” to the universities and “increasing the number of students in the areas of food, agricultural science, natural resources, environmental sciences, and other agriculture-related fields.”

Notably, the agreement re-establishes a task force of department officials and historically Black land-grant university presidents who meet at least twice a year to discuss ways to strengthen the institutions and their historic missions. These 19 universities gained land-grant status under the Second Morrill Act of 1890 to ensure Black Americans had access to agricultural and technical sciences education.

Historically Black Land-Grants Celebrate USDA Agreement College leaders hope to secure more funding and opportunities for their students as they ramp up collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program is going STRONG in just the first 5 days since enrollment started! Eligible producers can enroll now through April 17, 2026, to receive one-time bridge payments in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs ➡️ fsa.usda.gov/fba

Weekly resources from
The Report

USDA FSA Disaster Resources for Florida Producers This webinar provides an overview of FSA disaster programs and loan options for farmers and producers who may have been affected by natural disasters such as...