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Those who want to become farmers in New Mexico and other states face multiple barriers and the Trump administration's cancellation of projects designed to help has left many shaking their heads.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent termination notices for 49 of 50 projects which aimed to improve opportunities for those just starting out. The program called Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access was meant to assist underserved farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.

Amanda Koehler, manager of the Land, Capital and Market Access Network, started the group when the program launched in 2023 and said the cancellation hurts the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

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"I know so many people who have farm dreams and are basically begging to be able to farm, and we're not doing nearly enough to address it," Koehler explained.

Some projects would have helped Black, immigrant and Indigenous farmers, and the USDA cited DEI discrimination for the cancellation, along with “wasteful spending." Advocates, however, pointed out current USDA leadership spent the past year undermining the program by freezing funding, cutting off communication with awardees and withholding the approvals grantees needed to move forward.

The U.S. farming population is aging rapidly but without federal assistance, most younger farmers cannot afford the high startup costs. Koehler noted large-scale, productive farms can easily require an investment of $2 million, not including a home or necessary equipment. She believes the U.S. is running out of time to address the issues in a meaningful way.

"The number one reason young farmers are leaving agriculture is because of land access issues," Koehler stressed. "The termination of this program is incredibly shortsighted, especially because there has not been an alternative proposed."

Koehler added the $300 million program was small, considering all proposed projects topped $2.5 billion. In addition to her advocacy work, Koehler is an urban farmer in St. Paul, Minnesota, raising eggs, fruits, vegetables and herbs for her family and neighbors.