# USDA cuts threaten Kentucky conservation programs, farm support  
**Published:** 2026-04-14T09:30:05.000Z  
**Source:** [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/04/14/under-trump-us-department-of-agriculture-has-ditched-conservation-and-climate-efforts/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/usda-cuts-threaten-kentucky-conservation-programs-farm-support

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture are threatening Kentucky's conservation programs and support for farmers, according to an analysis of federal workforce data published by [the Kentucky Lantern and Inside Climate News](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/04/14/under-trump-us-department-of-agriculture-has-ditched-conservation-and-climate-efforts/).

The USDA lost 21 percent of its workforce during the first year of President Donald Trump's second term, compared to a 12 percent cut across the entire federal government. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which provides Kentucky farmers with technical guidance and financial assistance for conservation practices, lost more than 23 percent of its staff, dropping from nearly 12,000 employees to just over 9,000.

The cuts have directly impacted Kentucky farmers' ability to access conservation programs. [Kentucky NRCS provides voluntary conservation assistance to help farmers reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies and improve water quality](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/kentucky), programs that have become increasingly popular across the state. In fiscal year 2023, NRCS in Kentucky provided over $28 million in financial assistance through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program alone.

"All federal agencies got hit hard, but USDA got hit really, really hard," said Becky Schewe, a policy analyst for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. "And NRCS got hit particularly hard. These are the people providing technical guidance and assistance and support for farmers."

The administration also eliminated the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access program in late March, which had helped beginning and underrepresented farmers gain access to land. The program cost a modest $300 million but was gaining momentum in supporting farmers trying to break into agriculture against growing consolidation in the industry.

The bulk of departures were voluntary through the Department of Government Efficiency's deferred resignation program, where employees agreed to leave federal agencies but received paid leave through September. Most departing staff served rural areas rather than Washington, D.C., contrary to the administration's stated target for layoffs.

Kentucky conservation districts, which work with NRCS to help landowners implement best management practices, now face challenges delivering services to farmers. Remaining field staff are stretched across multiple counties, making personalized consultation increasingly difficult during a period when farmers face mounting climate-related challenges.

Rebecca Bartels, executive director of Invest in Our Land, a group focused on protecting conservation dollars for farmers, voiced concerns about the impact. "The NRCS staff work in extremely close partnership with farmers on a day-to-day basis," Bartels said. "We see a lot of concerns, both on the delivery of the programs and also for farmers' ability to navigate conservation practices that can help them overcome extreme weather."

## Sources

- [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/04/14/under-trump-us-department-of-agriculture-has-ditched-conservation-and-climate-efforts/)
- [Kentucky NRCS state office information on conservation programs](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/kentucky)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Kentucky Lantern, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/04/14/under-trump-us-department-of-agriculture-has-ditched-conservation-and-climate-efforts/.