The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is a community of sustainable and organic farmers, handlers, producers, and consumers across the U.S. The challenges faced by those in our network are unique to diversified and usually small- or mid-scale farms that provide healthy food to their communities.
The government shutdown, tariff negotiations, staffing changes at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other recent events have specific implications for these farms and the local communities that benefit from their products. We have been actively connecting with individuals who want to share their stories to uplift some of the experiences of those in our community.
"I do not know when my next Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) payment will arrive,” said Julie Sharp of Tranquility Ranch. “Without these funds, it’s hard for me to buy hay for the winter and hire custom labor. Getting a good supply of hay this year is really important because of the drought this summer. The biggest challenge I face is adapting to drought, heat, extreme rainfall events, and extreme winter storms. The new USDA says it wants to focus all its funds on helping farmers. If they follow through on their promises, they have to fund programs that help with this.”
Two years of drought have left Ohio’s livestock producers worn thin, and the shutdown and tariff negotiations have only worsened the situation for farmers like Molly Sowash and CJ Morgan of MoSo Farm. “We recently completed one of the practices in our Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) contract (fencing) and are owed about $4,000,” Sowash shared. “We could really use this cash right now during our most lean time of the year, when we’re paying over $30,000 in processing fees to have our 50+ hogs and 10+ cattle butchered.”
The decision to import more beef from Argentina is also having an impact, especially when it comes to MoSo Farm’s purchase of stocker calves for their grass-fed beef operations. “These calf prices are based on the going rate for calves at auctions, which is determined by the national beef herd,” explained Sowash. “As imports rise and American ranchers can no longer operate, our national beef herd decreases and prices go up. This is making our beef business switch to breeding, which we ordinarily would not do—but it means we have to access more leased land in order to support a breeding herd or produce less beef on our land.”
Beyond the livestock sector, other Ohio farmers and handlers are bearing the impact of new tariffs. “Our business has been significantly impacted by the current broader confusion with tariffs,” said Kevin Thomas of Western Reserve Distillers. “With using organic products, inspections and timing have [been] drawn out. We are simply struggling to get our agave into the country, and it represents 65 percent of our business.”
Several farmers spoke about the difficulties in engaging with USDA staff—especially at a time when their input, feedback, and support are critical. Caroline McColloch of Chez Nous Farm is one of them.
“The NRCS conservationist who administers payments for my CSP contract has currently been furloughed since October 1, 2025,” McColloch shared. “My annual payment will not happen until he returns to work. I am also concerned about whether or not he will receive back pay or even retain his employment. Additionally, I am a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits recipient. Those funds are also currently suspended.”
Lapsed payments and future cuts to SNAP impact more than food-insecure families. “We typically see about $500-800 worth of produce purchased with SNAP at markets each month,” said Bradley Smith of Full Hollow Farm.
each month,” said Bradley Smith of Full Hollow Farm.
We’ve received more stories from those in the OEFFA community about other issues with USDA contracts, worries about the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies, difficulties with seasonal labor, and concerns that any farmer assistance packages will not support mid- and small-scale farms and only benefit large commodity farms.
As an anonymous respondent shared, “I don’t know how to plan for the farming season with such uncertainty, or whether we can continue to afford to farm. It’s very stressful, and it seems we wake up each day to some fresh horror.”
Organic farmers and certification agencies in particular are lacking support amidst a closed National Organic Program office and a cancelled fall National Organic Standards Board meeting, which is one of the only times organic farmers can advocate for their needs.
OEFFA continues to follow this dynamic situation that is impacting local communities in Ohio and beyond. By shedding light on the distinctive issues facing our sustainable and organic farmers, we hope to uplift the stories of those in our community and bring awareness to how the impacts facing our farmers affect all of us.
Learn more about our efforts to create a future in which organic and sustainable farmers thrive, local food nourishes our communities, and agricultural practices protect and enhance our environment at oeffa.org.
