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    Republicans caught between Trump and farmers pleading for frozen funds | Farmers seeking money owed to them by the Agriculture Department say they have been rebuffed by some GOP lawmakers


    Republicans caught between Trump and farmers pleading for frozen funds | Farmers seeking money owed to them by the Agriculture Department say they have been rebuffed by some GOP lawmakers

    Posted by ONETRILLIONAMERICANS

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    7 Comments

    1. ONETRILLIONAMERICANS on

      > Shanon Jamison, a corn and soybean farmer in Iowa, learned in late January that her $69,000 federal reimbursement for a cover crop to boost soil health and slow erosion was frozen due to an executive order from President Donald Trump.

      > Jamison called and emailed her members of Congress, pleading for help accessing the funds promised to her by the Agriculture Department. Two of them — Sen. Joni Ernst (R) and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) — replied in letters over the past week that the White House’s orders pausing federal loans and grants did not affect funding to farmers.

      > After The Washington Post contacted the lawmakers’ offices Wednesday, spokespeople said Ernst and Miller-Meeks were advocating for Iowa farmers. But Jamison still doesn’t have her money, and the debt she owes is accruing interest.

      > “It was very frustrating,” she said Wednesday. “Quite frankly, it seemed like they don’t know what to do.”

      > The Post spoke with farmers and farm organizations in 10 states who had contacted their congressional delegations about the USDA funding freeze. Some farmers from conservative-leaning districts said they have received no reply. Others said they were told that their representatives supported the administration’s decision — and some representatives appeared to suggest that Trump’s funding freeze was not affecting farmers at all.

      > A federal judge last week ordered the Agriculture Department to release all withheld funds, but the farmers The Post spoke to said they had not yet received any of that money.

      > Some of those farmers have been stymied by members of Congress backing Trump. In Maryland, Laura Beth Resnick contacted Rep. Andy Harris (R) to make sure the USDA would fulfill a contract to help fund the installation of solar panels on her flower farm in Harford County.

      > Harris replied Feb. 6 that he supported Trump’s review of federal spending — and that, “unsurprisingly, liberal politicians and pundits rushed to push false narratives” that the spending freeze would affect farmers and small businesses, according to a copy of the letter viewed by The Post.

      > “I was shocked, honestly,” Resnick said. She is still waiting for her money.

      > Harris did not respond to a request for comment.

      > Hoppy Henton, who farms corn, soybeans, wheat and cattle in Woodford County, Kentucky, said he had several USDA-funded projects underway on his farm, including erecting new fencing and managing a pasture rotation. He said he is owed more than $20,000, which he has yet to receive.

      > Henton made several attempts to contact Rep. Andy Barr (R) and his staff about the issue, he said.

      > “No one is calling me back,” Henton said. “… the silence is deafening.”

    3. BelmontIncident on

      Congratulations, you sacrificed your home and livelihood but at least the only transgender girl in the state can’t play highschool badminton anymore.

    4. Kooky_Support3624 on

      Here is one of your moments, dems. Point out that DOGE hasn’t even cut 10 billion dollars yet when you account for the fact that most federal funding doesn’t ever get claimed. It’s just funded. Elon goal isn’t to cut funding, it’s to destroy the government. These farmers are realizing this in real time. Show them the way.

    6. Xeynon on

      Sorry, these hard-working, salt-of-the-earth, real American farmers just have to toughen up and take care of themselves. No more welfare handouts for people too lazy to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

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