Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for the next presidential administration, has ignited controversy with its bold vision for American agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture document, “Section 3: The General Welfare,” provides critical background on the USDA, outlining the challenges it faces and recommending specific actions for a conservative transformation.1
We looked into Project 2025’s controversial policy on agriculture and the potential impact on American farmers, consumers, and the environment.
What is Project 2025?
Project 2025, spearheaded by The Heritage Foundation, is not a farm policy initiative but a comprehensive conservative policy agenda aimed at reshaping the federal government and its policies across various sectors.
The project is based on four pillars: a policy agenda, Presidential Personnel Database, Presidential Administration Academy, and playbook for the first 180 days of the next Administration. It advocates for a range of economic reforms aimed at promoting free markets, reducing regulations, and cutting taxes.
Defend American Agriculture
According to the document, the next Administration should prioritize food productivity and affordability in agriculture, disassociate from international sustainable development schemes, and champion efficient, innovative American farming.
Project 2025 advises to eliminate obstacles for food producers and emphasize the importance of efficiency for affordable food, especially for low-income households. These principles should be communicated through executive orders, USDA materials, and legislative efforts.
The USDA should also review existing programs that impose preferred practices onto farmers.
Overhaul Agricultural Subsidies
The document also indicates that agricultural policy includes more than just farm subsidies, but subsidies remain an important issue. Even subsidy supporters agree on the need to minimize market distortions caused by subsidies.
The document advises subsidies should not influence planting decisions, discourage innovation, incentivize environmentally harmful practices, or create barriers for new farmers. The document proposes that the ultimate goal should be to eliminate subsidy dependence.
While many farmers receive few to no subsidies, a huge number of row crop farmers receive substantial support.
Refocus School Meals on Nutrition
Federal school meal programs were originally designed to provide food for low-income children. The document argues that they have expanded beyond their intended purpose and become more like entitlement programs available to students from all income levels.
The document states that the expansion includes improper payments and inefficiencies, with resources meant for poor children sometimes going to wealthier ones. The COVID-19 pandemic further expanded these programs, and there are proposals to make this expansion permanent.
Reassess Dietary Guidelines
The document notes that the USDA and HHS jointly publish the Dietary Guidelines every five years.(ref) These guidelines have been controversial due to questionable recommendations and claims of politicization.
In 2015, the advisory committee attempted to introduce climate change and sustainability into the guidelines,(ref) but this was not repeated in 2020. Nevertheless, the document agrees that the Dietary Guidelines remain a potential tool for influencing dietary choices beyond nutritional concerns.
Remove Agricultural Biotechnology Obstacles
Innovation, especially genetic engineering, is crucial for meeting future food needs. According to Project 2025, the next administration should embrace technology instead of hindering it with unscientific scare tactics.
Despite the widespread use of genetically engineered crops in the U.S., unnecessary labeling mandates and import bans like Mexico’s threaten agricultural biotechnology’s progress.
The upcoming elections will likely determine whether Project 2025’s controversial farm policy becomes a reality, shaping the future of American agriculture for years to come.
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.