USDA Secretary Rollins Advances Small Farms Revitalization Initiative

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has introduced the Small Farms Farmer First Initiative, a comprehensive effort aimed at supporting the sustainability and growth of small family farms, which make up about 86% of American farms. The initiative seeks to simplify USDA tools, improve access to credit, protect farmland from non-agricultural use, and support generational succession to keep farms within families. It also emphasizes risk management resources and educational programs tailored to modern agricultural needs. Industry representatives, like John Walt Boatright of the American Farm Bureau Federation, have welcomed the focus on small farms and highlighted the need for addressing regulatory burdens and enhancing risk management options. Rollins has actively engaged with farmers across multiple states to shape this 10-point agenda aimed at revitalizing rural America’s agricultural communities. Meanwhile, some farmers are facing challenges as pandemic-era USDA programs, such as the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, have ended, prompting adjustments in farm operations and income strategies.