USDA looked back at 2023 and said it’s been able to help tens of thousands of farmers continue their operations and increase their revenue. The agency also connected rural communities with internet access, advanced efforts to mitigate climate change, made investments to help small businesses get a leg up, and lowered energy and other costs for consumers.
As of December 1, USDA has helped more than 30,000 farmers and ranchers who were in financial distress stay on their farms and keep farming. Since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law, the Farm Service Agency has provided nearly $1.7 billion and counting in immediate assistance to farmers in financial distress. At the same time, USDA greatly improved its loan application process to better serve farmers. In 2023, the Risk Management Agency helped provide the largest farm safety net in history at a total of $207 billion in protection for American agriculture.
