Texas Border Business
HARLINGEN, Texas – The non-profit Holistic Organic Practical Education for Small Farm Sustainability (H.O.P.E.) announced that it was among 49 out of 50 organizations nationwide notified this week that their federal grant has been terminated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). H.O.P.E. was the only recipient in Texas.
The $7.4 million grant, awarded through the USDA’s Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program —funded by the American Rescue Plan Act—was intended to address declining agricultural production and rising food costs across South Texas, Central Texas, and North Texas.
According to the USDA, the termination was based on findings that the program involved “discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” and constituted “wasteful spending that did little to further lawful agricultural land purchases.”
Local leaders and program organizers strongly dispute that characterization.
“Agricultural acreage and production in the Rio Grande Valley has significantly declined, dropping by about 20% since 2008,” said Salomon Torres, Projects and Grants Advisor for H.O.P.E. “The grant was designed to help reverse that trend by reclaiming and preserving agricultural land across Texas, with a focus on revitalizing production and supporting local farmers.”
H.O.P.E.’s program was designed as a collaborative effort between the federal government and small farmers, providing training, resources, and access to markets to strengthen the regional food system.
“This decision is both wrong and misguided,” said Diana Padilla, Executive Director of H.O.P.E. “We are building a new generation of farmers who are committed to sustaining our communities long-term. It is difficult to believe this administration supports farmers at every level when political priorities are placed above real solutions.”
H.O.P.E. has confirmed it will appeal the USDA’s decision and is inviting local officials, community leaders, and the media to visit their farm and meet with participants in the program to garner public support at a press conference on Wednesday, April 1st, at 10 AM at 19833 Morris Rd, Harlingen, TX.
For more information on H.O.P.E. or to learn more about their mission to serve both the Rio Grande Valley and Texas as a whole, please visit: Hopeforsfs.org
Information source: Holistic Organic Practical Education for Small Farm Sustainability (H.O.P.E.)
