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Cuts to USAID Halt U.S. Farm Research at Universities, Sources Say

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The Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has caused farm research laboratories at land-grant universities in 13 states to cease operations, according to six lab directors. The closures mark another blow to U.S. agriculture, following efforts by President Donald Trump to overhaul the federal government. The halted research was designed to improve seed and equipment technology and develop international markets for U.S. agricultural products.

The shutdowns have compounded difficulties already faced by farmers, who have experienced disruptions to government food aid programs, agricultural grants, and loans. Land-grant universities, which were established on land granted by the federal government, have been particularly affected.

“For U.S. farmers, this is not good,” said Peter Goldsmith, head of the University of Illinois’ Soybean Innovation Lab, one of the affected facilities. The State Department did not provide a response to inquiries about the closures.

The 17 laboratories that received stop-work orders were part of USAID’s Feed the Future Innovation Labs program, which partnered with countries such as Malawi, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and Rwanda to conduct agricultural research. This research benefited U.S. farmers by developing production practices that could be applied domestically or providing early warnings about potential pest threats.

David Hughes, director of the USAID Innovation Lab on Current and Emerging Threats to Crops at Penn State University, said the shutdown limits their ability to help farmers fight pests and diseases. One halted project focused on controlling a virus harming banana crops in Tanzania.

David Tschirley, who chairs the Feed the Future Innovation Lab Council and runs a USAID-funded lab at Michigan State University, said the lab network employs about 300 people and collaborates with up to 4,000 partners abroad. “It presents an American face to the world that is a very appreciated face,” Tschirley said, emphasizing the research’s role in promoting national security.

Stop-work orders were issued to all 17 labs at the end of January after Trump froze most foreign aid. Since then, the labs have received no further guidance from the State Department. Some universities have attempted to cover costs temporarily, with mixed success.

At Michigan State, Tschirley’s lab has been allowed to retain employees under the assumption that USAID will eventually approve funding. However, Goldsmith laid off all 30 staff members at his lab last week and plans to close it entirely by April 15. His lab had previously assisted African farmers with soy planting and helped companies establish soy-processing plants.

Some agribusiness partners of the labs include Bayer, Corteva, BASF, and Archer-Daniels-Midland. Bayer stated it is assessing the funding halt, while other companies did not comment.

The funding freeze is part of broader actions by Trump to reshape the federal government. For example, U.S. commodity purchases were temporarily suspended following Trump’s January 24 order halting most foreign aid. Additionally, federal farm program payments have been delayed due to Trump’s directive freezing loans and grants, though this order has been blocked in court.

Musk Leads Efforts to Shut Down USAID, Part of Broader U.S. Government Downsizing

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Elon Musk, billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, shared an update on his role in U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, revealing that work is underway to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Musk, who leads a federal cost-cutting panel called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), stated that USAID is “beyond repair” and that Trump agrees the agency should be dissolved. This announcement was made during a social media conversation on Musk’s platform, X, which he owns.

Musk’s comments came alongside former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee. In a related move, most USAID staff were told to work remotely, as per an email reviewed by Reuters. The agency has also experienced a shake-up with the removal of two top security officials after they attempted to block DOGE representatives from accessing restricted areas of the agency’s headquarters.

The U.S. has historically been the largest global donor, with USAID contributing significantly to humanitarian efforts such as health programs, clean water access, and anti-corruption work. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. disbursed $72 billion in foreign aid. However, Trump’s “America First” policy has led to a global freeze on most U.S. foreign aid, impacting critical programs such as field hospitals and disease treatment in developing countries.

During the conversation, Musk also discussed broader efforts to cut the U.S. budget, suggesting that the administration could reduce the deficit by $1 trillion. He claimed that fraudulent foreign operations were siphoning off large sums from the U.S. but did not provide supporting evidence for his statement. This estimate and Musk’s involvement in controlling key government systems have raised concerns, particularly regarding his access to sensitive U.S. Treasury data.

Democrats have questioned the scope of Musk’s influence, with Senator Peter Welch calling it “a gross abuse of power” and pointing out that Musk’s access to taxpayer information could pose serious risks. Meanwhile, Trump praised Musk for his cost-cutting efforts, though acknowledged that not all of Musk’s approaches would be universally agreed upon.