Congresswoman Veronica Escobar of Texas’s 16th district has joined Representative Alma Adams and 37 other House Democrats in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision to terminate the Regional Food Business Center (RFBC) program. The group sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, calling for immediate reinstatement of the program.
“Regional Food Business Centers serve as the cornerstone of local and regional supply chains and have proven to be both highly successful and impactful, even within the program’s first year,” write the members. “RFBCs have consistently helped farmers get more of their products to market and strengthened the overall resilience of regional food systems.”
The lawmakers criticized USDA’s recent halt on RFBC funding, which followed President Trump’s Executive Order 14151 issued on January 20, 2025. According to them, this abrupt action disrupted partnerships and threatened supply chains that support food and economic security in communities nationwide.
They stated: “However, earlier this year, following President Trump’s Executive Order 14151 of January 20, 2025, USDA abruptly halted funding for RFBCs. The sudden pause has had immediate and damaging consequences. The loss of funding has disrupted vital partnerships and threatened local and regional supply chains, undermining the food and economic security of communities across the country. Eliminating the program entirely would not only erase the progress made but severely impede a future pathway forward and slow the continuation of this essential work to build resilient food systems in these communities.”
“It was unexpected to see this program eliminated, especially after your department’s release of the Farmers First agenda, which underscores the critical role of small family farms and the barriers they face in accessing markets and infrastructure,” they add.
The letter requests answers from Secretary Rollins by August 31 about stakeholder engagement before ending RFBCs; consideration given to modifying rather than terminating agreements; review processes involving previously submitted Business Builder Implementation Plans; communication with agreement holders about agency priorities; evaluation methods used for assessing potential impacts on supply chains or economic development; continued support for existing centers; efforts to prevent disparities in access for underserved producers; and details regarding repurposing any remaining funds.
In 2023, Congresswoman Escobar hosted then USDA Undersecretary Jenny Moffitt in El Paso for discussions on sustainable food systems. During her visit, Under Secretary Moffitt toured Sparks colonia with partners from Rio Grande Colonias Regional Food Business Center at Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center.
Texas A&M AgriLife is one among twelve organizations chosen nationally to establish an RFBC center providing business development assistance that now supports over 5,000 farms and businesses across America.
Veronica Escobar has held her seat since winning elections against Irene Armendariz-Jackson in both 2022 (with nearly two-thirds majority) as well as 2024, maintaining consistent electoral support throughout previous cycles.
