Project 2025 Rural News Clips, June 9, 2025
Trump officials buried farm trade report because it predicted a deficit; Small farmers are struggling with Trumpian chaos—and bracing for more; AI agents are invading our rural counties
POLITICS AND ELECTIONS
InForum
McFeely: A rural reckoning? Don’t bet on it
June 4, 2025
Deep cuts to FEMA aid, Medicaid, food assistance, and National Park funding have saddled small towns—with examples like Fessenden’s $9,333-per-resident wastewater tax—yet rural voters continue backing the same officials.
The author argues that without sustained political pressure, these communities will likely tolerate further rollbacks, undermining any hope for a rural backlash against harmful policies.
ProPublica
How GOP lawmakers are trying to undermine ballot initiatives
May 30, 2025
Republican-controlled states like Florida and Missouri have passed new ballot measures that raise signature requirements, impose geographic distribution rules, and tighten petition procedures, effectively making it harder for grassroots initiatives to qualify for rural counties.
Observers warn these changes will suppress direct democracy by creating technical and logistical barriers in low-population areas, reducing rural voters’ ability to drive policy on issues from environmental protections to social services.
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture.com
Farmer-focused USDA agencies face deep cuts in Trump’s 2026 budget plan
June 5, 2025
The Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal cuts Farm Service Agency discretionary funding by $372 million, reducing support for farm loans, commodity programs, and conservation initiatives critical to rural operations.
An $800 million reduction for the Natural Resources Conservation Service threatens financial and technical assistance for landowners and ranchers, undermining conservation efforts that bolster rural economies and environmental health.
DTN Ag Policy Editor
Tariff war, cheap imports, high labor costs all put stresses on aging farmers
June 5, 2025
Rural producers face squeezed profit margins as high tariffs on exports and low-priced imports undercut their market, making it harder for aging farmers to stay afloat.
Rising labor costs and a shortage of younger workers in remote areas add to financial strains, risking farm closures and weakening local food-production economies.
WTXL ABC 27
Federal budget cuts may severely impact North Florida’s rural farming communities
May 30, 2025
Proposed federal budget cuts threaten to eliminate key agricultural research and conservation funds, jeopardizing crop resilience and sustainability for North Florida’s small farms.
Farmers warn that losing Hatch Act and related support programs would increase production costs, reduce yields, and undermine the economic backbone of rural farming communities.
Michigan Farm News
The 2025 tax cliff: Failure to extend tax cuts would cost farmers billions
June 2, 2025
If key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire at year’s end, U.S. farmers and ranchers would face an additional $9 billion in federal taxes annually, tightening budgets in rural communities.
The average farm could owe $5,125 more next year, potentially forcing cuts to equipment, labor, and local spending, and risking layoffs for up to 49,000 agricultural workers.
Politico
Trump officials delayed farm trade report over deficit forecast
June 4, 2025
Administration officials withheld the written analysis of the USDA’s “Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade,” which projected a record‐high farm trade deficit of $49.5 billion, up from $31.8 billion the previous year.
The forecast runs counter to President Trump’s messaging that his tariff policies would shrink trade imbalances, leaving rural farmers facing a bleak export outlook and potential harm to local economies.
Officials blamed an internal review for the delay, but critics say the move was politically motivated and undermines transparency and public trust.
Industry experts warn that hiding these economic realities threatens rural farmers’ ability to plan and could further hurt communities that rely on agriculture.
The New York Times
Illinois farmers say Trump’s policies and extreme weather are upending operations
Jun. 2, 2025
Many Illinois growers report that recent tariffs on key exports and steep cuts to USDA support programs have eroded their profit margins just as severe spring storms destroyed large swaths of corn and soybean crops.
Counties that voted heavily for Trump in 2024 now feel abandoned as emergency aid for flood and hail damage lags behind, leaving farmers to shoulder rebuilding costs on their own.
Labor shortages caused by new immigration restrictions have left fields understaffed at planting time, exacerbating the losses from weather disruptions and forcing some family operations to consider selling land.
Farm leaders are calling on Congress to restore funding for Conservation Reserve Program payments, emergency USDA relief packages, and to roll back punitive tariffs to help stabilize rural economies.
Homegrown Stories
We take last place: North Dakota residents fight industrial dairy threat to land and legacy
June 2, 2025
North Dakota landowners and tribal members are mobilizing to oppose a proposed industrial-scale dairy near their communities, citing risks of water pollution, air quality degradation, and threats to their agricultural heritage.
Opponents emphasize that the mega-dairy’s vast manure lagoons and concentrated waste would strain local ecosystems and undermine small-scale farmers’ livelihoods in rural counties.
The New Republic
Small farmers are struggling with Trumpian chaos—and bracing for more
Jun. 2, 2025
Freezes on USDA grants and elimination of key assistance programs have left small and community-based farms in rural America without vital financial lifelines, disrupting contracts and technical support.
Concurrent efforts to slash food-stamp benefits threaten the broader rural food system, risking increased food insecurity and undermining local economies dependent on SNAP-supported demand.
AVIAN FLU
CIDRAP
H5N1 avian flu strikes another Arizona layer farm
June 3, 2025
The H5N1 avian influenza strain was confirmed at a second commercial laying hen facility in rural Arizona, prompting the culling of over 100,000 birds to prevent further spread.
The outbreak underscores ongoing risks to small-town poultry producers and the need for enhanced biosecurity measures to protect rural agricultural economies.
BROADBAND AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Route Fifty
Hunt for clarity on BEAD’s future goes on
June 5, 2025
The Commerce Department’s delay in finalizing rules for the $42 billion BEAD broadband program has paused state grant awards, leaving rural internet projects in limbo.
Without clear guidance and timely funding, communities risk missing construction deadlines and remaining without the high‐speed connections vital for telehealth, education, and local business growth.
Broadband Breakfast
Stakeholders protest Rural Utilities Service budget cuts
June 5, 2025
Stakeholders from agriculture, education, health care, and rural infrastructure sectors urged Congress to maintain funding for Rural Utilities Service telecommunications programs to prevent stalling broadband expansion in remote areas.
A joint letter to key appropriators warned that cuts to RUS loans and grants would undermine rural economic development and limit access to telehealth, distance learning, and precision agriculture services.
WSLS 10
A federal broadband program meant to close the digital divide in rural America is stalled
June 3, 2025
The Commerce Department’s delay in approving guidelines for the $42 billion BEAD program has left hundreds of rural broadband projects in limbo, preventing communities from accessing high-speed internet upgrades.
Local officials warn that stalled funding jeopardizes telehealth, online education, and economic development in underserved counties awaiting critical connectivity.
CRYPTOCURRENCY, AI, AND DATA CENTERS
GovTech
AI agents are invading our rural counties
June 3, 2025
Rural California counties are deploying agentic AI to automate tasks like routing resident inquiries, monitoring wildfire cameras, and processing permits, helping understaffed local governments maintain services.
Officials caution that while AI agents increase efficiency, clear oversight and accountability are essential to ensure they complement rather than replace critical human decision-making in remote county offices.
DISASTERS
NPR
Months after Hurricane Helene some North Carolinians still struggle to find housing
June 2, 2025
Helene’s flooding destroyed key affordable housing options—like extended-stay motels and mobile-home parks—leaving displaced residents with vacancy rates under 2 percent and soaring rents in rural western North Carolina.
Grassroots groups have organized repairs of damaged mobile homes and formed land-trust cooperatives, but families still face a shortage of long-term housing solutions without state or federal intervention.
NPR
FEMA was starting to fix long-standing problems. Then came the Trump administration
June 5, 2025
Biden-era reforms improved disaster aid applications and equity measures that helped rural and tribal areas access relief after hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.
The Trump administration cut programs, staff, and equity-focused initiatives—jeopardizing recovery efforts in remote communities with limited local resources.
E&E News
Chaos at FEMA, NOAA as hurricane season starts
Jun. 1, 2025
Understaffed and mismanaged FEMA and NOAA offices are struggling to coordinate disaster response and weather forecasting as hurricane season begins, risking delayed warnings and aid to remote coastal and rural communities.
Funding shortfalls and leadership upheaval at both agencies could leave small-town emergency services without the timely support they need to prepare for and recover from storms.
Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon governor requests federal funding to support aftermath of spring floods
May 30, 2025
Gov. Tina Kotek asked FEMA and congressional leaders for emergency grants and public assistance to help rural communities rebuild roads, bridges, and levees damaged by this spring’s floods.
Local officials warn that without federal aid, small towns in the Willamette Valley and Eastern Oregon will struggle to restore critical infrastructure, hindering agricultural transport and emergency response.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The New York Times
Much of the federal infrastructure that supports domestic violence programs is damaged or gone
June 2, 2025
Federal budget cuts and bureaucratic delays have weakened funding for domestic violence shelters and hotlines, leaving rural survivors without local resources and forcing many to travel long distances for help.
Programs like the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) have seen reduced grants to rural advocacy organizations, undermining community-based prevention efforts in small towns.
The author calls for restoring and expanding federal support to rebuild essential services in isolated areas, where access to legal assistance, counseling, and safe housing is already limited.
EDUCATION
The Century Foundation
Abandoning students in rural America: the real cost of the Trump administration’s education budget
June 5, 2025
Cuts to Title I and other federal K–12 funding would force rural schools to scale back remedial programs and extracurriculars that disadvantaged students rely on.
Eliminating School Improvement Grants and 21st Century Community Learning Centers threatens after-school tutoring and enrichment services crucial for rural districts with limited local resources.
The 74
Despite the law, Nebraska school districts denied transfers to special ed kids
June 5, 2025
Nebraska school districts denied transfer requests for students with disabilities at higher rates than other applicants, leaving rural families without adequate special-education services locally.
Limited transportation and program availability in sparsely populated regions force parents to forgo better-suited districts, highlighting inequities in rural special-education access.
Ohio Capital Journal
Appalachian Ohio’s public schools face tough choices with potential state, federal funding cuts
May 29, 2025
Proposed reductions in state foundation funding and looming federal education budget cuts could force rural Appalachian districts to trim programs, staff positions, and bus routes in low-enrollment schools.
Superintendents warn that without supplemental aid or hold-harmless provisions, schools may eliminate extracurricular activities and increase class sizes, deepening educational disparities in isolated communities.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee program makes progress on EV chargers while frozen federal projects languish
June 3, 2025
Tennessee’s state-led EV charging program has successfully deployed dozens of new fast-chargers in rural counties, filling gaps left by stalled federal infrastructure projects.
Local officials say these chargers are attracting visitors, supporting small-town businesses, and demonstrating how targeted state action can advance rural EV adoption even when federal funding is delayed.
ENVIRONMENT
MortgagePoint
SCOTUS Environmental Ruling May Limit Rural Land Development
May 30, 2025
The Supreme Court ruled that federal agencies need not evaluate indirect upstream or downstream environmental impacts under NEPA, potentially speeding approval of rural housing and infrastructure projects without comprehensive review.
Rural landowners may lose a key tool to challenge developments, raising concerns about unchecked resource exploitation and reduced environmental safeguards in remote areas.
FARM BILL
Montana Ag Network
Uncertainty for Montana farmers and ranchers while waiting for new farm bill
June 4, 2025
Montana farmers and ranchers face historic financial uncertainty as key farm-bill programs are set to expire on September 30, leaving producers without safety-net payments and price supports during a deep economic downturn.
State agricultural groups warn that proposed SNAP cuts in the House “One Big Bill” could undermine the voting coalition needed to pass the new farm bill, linking rural nutrition support to farm-policy success.
Agriculture.com
Can the Farm Bill Survive Without a Rural-Urban Coalition? Former Ag Secretaries Weigh In
May 31, 2025
Former USDA secretaries warn that without a bipartisan rural-urban coalition, the upcoming Farm Bill risks losing support for conservation, nutrition, and specialty-crop programs vital to small-town economies.
They emphasize that bridging divides between agricultural and non-farm interests is essential to secure funding streams that sustain rural community development and food-security initiatives.
FOOD AND HUNGER
Stateline
GOP cuts to food assistance would hit rural America especially hard
June 2, 2025
House Republicans passed legislation in a 215‑214 vote that would slash SNAP by approximately $300 billion, disproportionately affecting rural residents who rely more heavily on food stamps.
Rural food banks and school lunch programs already operating on thin margins warn that reduced benefits will increase hunger and strain local charitable efforts.
Advocates argue that cutting SNAP in states with high rural poverty rates could undermine economic stability in remote communities, where few alternative support systems exist.
Pennsylvania Capital‑Star
Food banks call on Congress to preserve food aid for 38,000 Pennsylvania seniors
May 21, 2025
A coalition of food banks and charities serving low‑income seniors urged Congress to maintain funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides monthly food packages to 38,000 Pennsylvanians aged 60 and older.
Pennsylvania ranks fourth nationally in CSFP aid, and cuts proposed by the Trump administration, such as eliminating CSFP in favor of “Make America Healthy Again” food boxes, could disproportionately harm seniors in rural counties who rely on home delivery.
Hunger‑Free Pennsylvania, representing 18 food banks across all 67 counties, warned that reduced CSFP funding would force some pantries to limit services or close, leaving vulnerable seniors without critical sources of protein, vitamins, and other essential nutrition.
The program’s success includes over 250,000 home deliveries through DoorDash’s Project DASH, offering not only food but vital wellness checks for isolated rural seniors; advocates fear that without full funding, many older adults will face increased food insecurity and health risks.
MSN
I’d be broke’: Rural Idaho food banks could see a rise in food insecurity with the future of federal cuts
May 29, 2025
Rural Idaho food banks warn that proposed federal cuts to SNAP and TEFAP will exacerbate food insecurity in isolated counties where low-income families and seniors already struggle to access nutrition.
Pantry operators report dwindling inventories and increased demand, forcing them to ration staples and intensify fundraising efforts to bridge the gap left by shrinking government support.
The Ohio Newsroom
Less food, more demand: Ohio’s rural food pantries cope with federal cuts
June 2, 2025
Federal funding reductions to programs like TEFAP and SNAP have left rural pantries facing inventory shortages just as demand from low-income families and seniors spikes.
Pantry operators report longer lines and depleted supplies, forcing them to ration staples and seek emergency donations to serve residents in isolated counties.
HEALTH CARE, PHARMACIES AND RURAL HEALTH
WKOW
Concerns grow over implications of Medicaid cuts on rural health care access
June 4, 2025
Proposed federal Medicaid reductions could force rural clinics and hospitals to cut services or close entirely, leaving patients in remote areas without nearby care options.
Patients may face 50-mile trips for routine appointments or emergency treatment if local providers lose vital funding, exacerbating health disparities in low-population counties.
MSNBC
Rural health systems sound alarms about Medicaid cuts in Trump’s megabill
June 3, 2025
Hospital administrators in small towns warn that proposed federal Medicaid cuts would force service reductions or closures, leaving rural patients without local emergency and specialty care.
Executives emphasize that Medicaid accounts for a significant share of their revenue, and slashing it would undermine workforce retention and essential community health programs.
KFF Health News
Role reversal: millions of kids are caregivers for elders. Why their numbers might grow.
May 30, 2025
Proposed Medicaid cuts would shift more caregiving costs onto families, with rural grandparents and other informal caregivers increasingly providing childcare and eldercare without support.
Rural low-income households face heightened economic strain as cuts reduce access to home- and community-based services, forcing many caregivers to reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely.
The Associated Press
Deep cuts erode the foundations of US public health system, end progress, threaten worse to come
May 30, 2025
An outbreak of measles linked to overseas travel has infected multiple children, including cases in rural counties where lower vaccination rates raise concerns about rapid spread.
Public health officials emphasize boosting vaccination campaigns and outreach in remote communities, where access to clinics and vaccine education is limited.
The Guardian
Loan plan in Republican bill could worsen doctor shortage, experts warn
June 1, 2025
The GOP proposal to cap graduate loans at $150,000 and eliminate the Grad PLUS program could deter low-income and rural students from pursuing medical degrees, limiting the future physician pipeline.
Experts warn that these funding cuts would exacerbate existing doctor shortages in underserved rural areas and primary-care specialties that struggle to attract trainees.
MSN
EPA boss Lee Zeldin defends cutting rural health clinic, senator asks ‘is it woke’
May 20, 2025
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended canceling a $19.8 million grant for a new health clinic and wastewater upgrades in rural Thomasville, Georgia, saying the Trump administration must realign funding to its policy priorities.
Senator Jon Ossoff pressed Zeldin on why the grant was cut, asking if a health clinic for Thomasville was considered “woke” under the new priorities and accusing the EPA chief of denying essential services to vulnerable rural residents.
HEAT
E&E News
Trump fired the heat experts. Now he might kill their heat rule.
Jun. 3, 2025
The administration is considering rescinding updated energy-efficiency standards for residential heating equipment, a move that would raise utility costs, particularly for low-income and rural households reliant on older furnaces and water heaters.
By dismantling these regulations, the rule rollback threatens to undercut consumer savings and clean-energy benefits in remote areas where high heating bills already strain household budgets.
HOUSING
Daily Montanan
Commentary: The federal housing programs that are fueling affordability are at risk
Jun. 2, 2025
Key programs like USDA’s Section 515 rural rental housing and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit face funding cuts, jeopardizing the creation and preservation of affordable units in small Montana communities.
Without continued support, aging apartment complexes may deteriorate or convert to market-rate housing, displacing low-income rural residents and exacerbating housing shortages.
IMMIGRATION
Politico
They’re the backbone: Trump’s targeting of legal immigrants threatens health sector
May 31, 2025
Hundreds of thousands of legal immigrant health workers—including about 30,000 from countries like Haiti and El Salvador—risk deportation under Trump’s rescission of temporary protected status and humanitarian parole, threatening care capacity in long-term care facilities across the U.S., especially in rural areas.
Health providers warn that losing these immigrant workers will exacerbate staffing shortages, impair infectious-disease response, and reduce essential services in under-resourced small-town hospitals and eldercare centers.
Wisconsin Examiner
Trump DHS lists Democratic strongholds, and deep red Shawano County as defying immigration law
May 30, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security’s new “sanctuary jurisdiction” list mistakenly includes Shawano County—a reliably Republican region—and several Democratic-leaning Wisconsin counties, sparking bipartisan confusion.
Local officials emphasize full cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and warn that the misclassification risks federal grant eligibility and trust in rural governance.
Nebraska Public Media
10 rural Nebraska counties ended up on a federal ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ list. state and local officials say it’s a mistake
May 30, 2025
Ten sparsely populated Nebraska counties were mistakenly labeled as “sanctuary jurisdictions” by DHS, despite having no detention facilities and full cooperation with immigration enforcement.
Local officials are working with federal agencies to correct the error, warning that misclassification could jeopardize critical funding and trust in rural community governance.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
These rural Pa. counties found themselves on the Trump administration’s list of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ — and say it has to be a mistake
May 30, 2025
Ten rural Pennsylvania counties—Adams, Montour, and Clarion among them—were wrongly listed as “sanctuary jurisdictions,” leading local leaders to challenge the Department of Homeland Security’s data.
County officials noted they have no detention facilities and fully comply with federal enforcement, warning the misclassification could threaten critical funding for small-town services.
Star Tribune
Minnesota rural counties want explanation after being labeled sanctuary jurisdictions by DHS
June 5, 2025
Nearly 30 rural Minnesota counties were incorrectly designated as “sanctuary jurisdictions” by DHS, prompting officials to demand clarification and correction.
County leaders stressed that these remote areas lack detention facilities and fully cooperate with immigration enforcement, warning the error could jeopardize vital federal funding.
Star Tribune
New DHS immigration ‘sanctuary’ designation for 20 rural Minnesota counties leaves officials baffled
May 30, 2025
Twenty rural Minnesota counties were mistakenly designated as “sanctuary jurisdictions” by DHS, prompting local officials to demand an explanation and correction.
Commissioners stressed these sparsely populated areas fully cooperate with immigration enforcement and lack detention facilities, warning the error could jeopardize federal funding and community trust.
The New York Times
Trump’s Deportations Haunt Workers in the Fields of Rural New York
May 30, 2025
ICE raids in rural New York counties have intensified, detaining immigrant farmworkers and causing labor shortages on small-scale farms dependent on seasonal labor.
Fear of deportation is deterring workers from reporting abuses or health issues, undermining both farm productivity and community well-being in remote agricultural areas.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
New York Times
Trump administration ends program critical to search for an H.I.V. vaccine
May 30, 2025
Federal cuts to HIV prevention and treatment programs under the Trump administration risk rolling back gains in rural areas, where clinic closures and provider shortages already hamper access to testing and care.
Reductions in funding for needle-exchange initiatives and the Ryan White program could lead to higher infection rates and undermine support services for people with HIV in small towns.
CBS News
CDC steps up measles travel warning after spread in airplane
May 30, 2025
The CDC issued travel advisories after confirming measles exposure on multiple recent flights, warning that the highly contagious virus can linger in airplane cabins for up to two hours.
Rural residents, who often face longer travel to major airports and limited local vaccination resources, may be at increased risk if exposed during these flights and should verify immunization status before traveling.
INFLATION AND THE ECONOMY
American Ag Network
Rural Mainstreet Index stays below growth neutral for 19th time in 20 months
May 30, 2025
A reading of 44 signals continued economic contraction across rural areas in ten Midwestern states, stressing small‑town retailers and service providers.
Weak farm equipment sales and low loan demand point to tightened credit access for family operations, compounding financial pressures for farmers.
Experts warn that without targeted investments in agricultural diversification and rural manufacturing, these communities risk deeper population losses.
JAILS, PRISONS AND INCARCERATION
Bolts
Closure of Susanville’s state prison complex shakes rural economy
May 5, 2022
Susanville’s economy is heavily dependent on two prisons, with roughly one third of its population incarcerated and many residents working in prison‐related jobs.
In April 2022, Governor Newsom announced the California Correctional Center would close by June 30, 2022, putting hundreds of local jobs at risk in this rural community.Advocates urged that prison closures be paired with investments in alternative economic opportunities to prevent widespread unemployment and ensure a stable future for residents.
The situation raises broader questions about how rural towns can transition away from prison‐based economies toward more sustainable industries.
JOBS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska job corps center in Palmer to close as part of nationwide program ‘pause’
May 30, 2025
The Palmer Job Corps Center—the state’s only rural facility for vocational training—is set to close temporarily under a nationwide pause, leaving local young adults without access to hands-on education in trades like construction and health care.
Community leaders warn the shutdown will worsen workforce shortages in rural Alaska by interrupting pipelines for skilled labor crucial to local economies.
JOURNALISM AND BROADCASTING
U.S. News & World Report
Opinion: Why conservatives should support PBS and NPR
June 3, 2025
Proposed Trump administration cuts to NPR and PBS funding risk eliminating crucial news and emergency information services that many rural communities rely on as primary sources.
Public media reductions could widen information gaps in isolated areas, undermining access to local news, weather alerts, and educational programming where alternative outlets are scarce.
LAYOFFS AND FUNDING CUTS
The Washington Post
Judge orders administration to reinstate AmeriCorps grants in 24 states, D.C.
June 5, 2025
A federal judge ordered the restoration of AmeriCorps grants in 24 states and D.C., ensuring that service projects—including those in rural communities—continue receiving funding.
The ruling does not reverse planned staffing cuts, which could still disrupt local programs like disaster relief, senior support, and environmental clean-up in underresourced small towns.
Michigan Advance
Crime victim service nonprofits in Michigan sound alarm for decreases in federal funding
June 2, 2025
Michigan crime-victim service nonprofits warn that steep cuts to federal Victims of Crime Act funding will force reductions in counseling, legal advocacy, and shelter services, especially straining programs in rural counties with few alternative supports.
Leaders report that shrinking grant awards and delayed allocations could lead to staff layoffs and program closures, leaving vulnerable victims in underresourced small towns without critical aid.
In These Times
Trump’s cuts to AmeriCorps are stripping resources from rural communities
June 3, 2025
Trump’s DOGE initiative slashed AmeriCorps funding and cut nearly 2,000 service members, stripping capacity for rural communities’ food-security, housing-repair, and youth-development programs.
Local nonprofits report that the loss of AmeriCorps members has left critical gaps in emergency response, education outreach, and conservation efforts in underresourced small towns.
Politico
USDA faces billions in cuts
Jun. 2, 2025
Weekly Agriculture delivers Monday briefs on food and farm policy, covering topics from the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s pesticide report backlash among farm groups to USDA plans to rehire fire-qualified staff for the summer wildfire season.
The newsletter previews upcoming moves on agriculture spending cuts in the Senate and international trade developments—such as Vietnam’s $3 billion in U.S. agricultural purchases—highlighting issues that directly affect rural producers and their communities.
Capital & Main
DOGE cuts ‘hurting’ residents in Elon Musk’s backyard in rural Texas
May 16, 2025
Funding cuts under the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative have slashed support for essential services—like mental health and emergency response—in the rural communities surrounding Elon Musk’s Texas gigafactory, leaving residents with fewer local resources.
Community leaders report that reductions in workforce-development grants and public-safety funding have undermined job-training programs and strained volunteer first-responder corps in these small towns.
Fire & Safety Journal Americas
Federal funding cuts threaten safety training for fishermen and rural workers
June 2, 2025
Federal cuts to NIOSH eliminated about 875 staff, putting federally funded safety trainings for commercial fishermen, loggers, and farmers at risk of ending as soon as July 2025.
These programs—covering fire response, emergency rescue, and opioid-overdose (Narcan) administration—are crucial for rural workers in high-hazard occupations, and their loss could raise injury and fatality rates in remote communities.
Honolulu Star‑Advertiser
Hawaii’s rural nonprofits stay afloat amid federal funding insecurity
Jun. 2, 2025
Grants from Newman’s Own Foundation have been vital for rural nonprofits like Iwikua on Kauai and Ma ka Hana ka ʻIke in Hana, allowing them to sustain Indigenous food-sovereignty programs amid federal funding cuts.
These grants support volunteer workdays, agricultural education in schools, and culturally rooted initiatives that keep remote Hawaiian communities fed and engaged with traditional land practices.
LIBRARIES AND BOOK BANS
KTOO
Federal cuts could end key library services for rural Alaskans
June 4, 2025
Proposed federal funding reductions threaten to eliminate bookmobile routes and broadband hotspots that serve remote Alaskan villages.
Without these services, rural residents would lose access to essential literacy resources, internet connectivity, and community programming.
Local library staff warn that cuts could widen educational and economic disparities in isolated communities reliant on library outreach.
NPR
Rural library funding threats
Jun. 3, 2025
Proposed cuts to federal library funding threaten to eliminate bookmobiles, broadband hotspots, and outreach programs that serve rural communities.
Library directors warn that losing these services will widen educational, informational, and social gaps in small towns with limited local resources.
MENTAL HEALTH
Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota was among the first to launch Youth Mental Health Corps, but DOGE cuts could put it in jeopardy
June 2, 2025
Minnesota’s Youth Mental Health Corps was one of the first statewide programs to place mental health professionals in schools, including in remote rural districts where access is scarce.
Funding cuts under the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative could eliminate positions and reduce services, threatening the Corps’ ability to support youth mental health in small-town communities.
MINING AND DRILLING
Pennsylvania Capital‑Star
Federal officials call miners’ health a ‘priority,’ but are cutting a Pa. team studying mine safety
May 27, 2025
Despite pledges to protect miners’ health, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration eliminated its dedicated Pennsylvania research team, halting studies on dust exposure that inform black lung prevention in rural mining communities.
Critics warn that cutting this regional unit—a key source of data on coal dust and silica risks—undermines efforts to safeguard miners in remote Appalachian counties already hard-hit by occupational diseases.
The Associated Press
Trump administration halts plans to close 34 mine safety offices
May 30, 2025
The Trump administration reversed plans to close 34 Mine Safety and Health Administration field offices—including several in rural coal country—ensuring local inspectors remain near mining communities.
Officials warned that shuttering these offices would have forced inspectors to travel farther, reducing oversight of black lung and safety violations and endangering miners in remote regions.
NATIVE AMERICANS
ProPublica
Trump wants to cut tribal college funding by nearly 90%, putting them at risk of closing
June 3, 2025
The Trump administration’s 2020 budget proposals slashed Bureau of Indian Education funding for tribal colleges and universities by over 20%, jeopardizing scholarships, staffing, and student support services critical to rural Native communities.
Tribal leaders warn that reduced federal resources strain campuses already operating on tight budgets, risking program closures and undermining higher-education access for students from remote reservations.
Alaska Beacon
Native Americans hurt by federal health cuts, despite RFK Jr.’s promises of protection
June 3, 2025
Reductions in Indian Health Service funding under the Trump budget have led to clinic closures and staff layoffs on rural Alaska Native reservations, worsening long-standing healthcare access gaps.
Despite RFK Jr.’s public commitment to safeguarding Native health programs, tribal leaders report that proposed cuts to Medicaid and IHS contracting support would undermine critical services in remote villages.
POLLUTION
The Daily Yonder
Scientists find DNA proof of swine feces in North Carolina homes
June 3, 2025
Researchers detected swine DNA in household dust samples from rural North Carolina homes, confirming that factory-farm waste drifts indoors.
The findings highlight health and nuisance risks for residents living downwind of concentrated animal feeding operations in agricultural regions.
The Texas Tribune
Bills aimed at studying, restricting “forever chemicals” in Texas fail
Jun. 2, 2025
Proposed Texas bills to regulate PFAS “forever chemicals” failed to pass, leaving rural water utilities without new state-level standards to address contamination risks in groundwater and private wells.
Without legislative action, small, under-resourced water districts in agricultural regions must rely on federal guidelines and costly treatment upgrades to protect rural communities’ drinking water.
POSTAL SERVICE
KY3
Many in the Ozarks concerned about the future of rural mail delivery
Jun. 2, 2025
Residents across the Ozarks fear that planned USPS mail-route consolidations will eliminate home delivery in sparsely populated areas, forcing them to travel miles to rural mailboxes.
Local officials and community groups warn that losing door-to-door service undermines seniors’ and disabled residents’ access to medications and disrupts small-town commerce reliant on timely deliveries.
The Daily Yonder
‘You’re really not a town without a post office’: North Carolina community’s post‑Helene fight for survival
June 2, 2025
Swannanoa residents have spent months lobbying postal and government officials—writing hundreds of postcards—to reopen their town’s only post office, which Hurricane Helene destroyed over six months ago.
The loss of this vital community hub, along with the closure of the grocery store, bank, and hardware store, has strained local mental health and underscored how basic services underpin rural town survival.
PUBLIC LANDS
National Parks Traveler
Trump budget request would cut National Park Service workforce by more than 5,500
June 3, 2025
The Trump budget request would slash over 5,500 National Park Service positions—cutting seasonal roles in half and reducing overall staffing from 13,648 to 8,130—undermining park maintenance, visitor services, and conservation programs.
Gateway communities that rely on park tourism for economic vitality face potential revenue losses and job declines as diminished NPS capacity hampers operations in rural park regions.
KGW News
Crater Lake National Park superintendent resigns, citing staffing cuts
June 3, 2025
Kevin Heatley resigned as Crater Lake National Park superintendent after staffing cuts under the Trump administration reduced ranger positions from eight to three, straining park operations.
The cuts forced reliance on local volunteers for programs and maintenance, highlighting how reduced federal support jeopardizes both visitor services and the rural economies dependent on park tourism.
National Parks Traveler
How exodus is eroding Alaska National Parks’ support system
June 5, 2025
The departure of 60 National Park Service employees from Alaska parks has left remote sites understaffed, forcing remaining rangers to cover vast areas and suspend programs vital to rural communities.
With fewer personnel, visitor services such as backcountry patrols and educational outreach are curtailed, undermining the local tourism economies that depend on park-related spending.
The staffing shortfall also hampers collaboration with rural Indigenous tribes and subsistence users, straining relationships and weakening conservation efforts integral to Alaska’s remote regions.
Times-News
Federal budget cuts threaten Smoky Mountains National Park
June 3, 2025
Proposed cuts to National Park Service funding under the Trump budget would slash staffing and operating resources at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, forcing reductions in visitor services, trail maintenance, and search-and-rescue capacity.
Local gateway communities—like Gatlinburg and Townsend—depend on park tourism for economic vitality, and diminished park operations risk lost revenue for small-town businesses and seasonal workers.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Inside Climate News
Trump’s budget wish could threaten billions in clean energy investment in Virginia
June 2, 2025
Proposed reductions to Department of Energy clean-energy grant programs would jeopardize rural Virginia manufacturing facilities—like planned battery component and solar panel plants—that rely on federal funding to break ground and hire local workers.
Analysts warn that slashed incentives could stall high-wage clean-tech job growth in small towns, undercutting economic diversification efforts and risking the collapse of nascent rural clean‐energy supply chains.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
ABC News
Trump administration rescinds Biden-era guidance requiring hospitals to perform emergency abortions
June 4, 2025
The administration withdrew Biden-era rules that had obligated hospitals to provide standardized notices about patient rights and available federal assistance programs, potentially leaving rural patients less informed about critical care options.
Rural hospitals, which rely on clear federal directives to maintain consistent patient communication, now face uncertainty in meeting community needs without the prior guidance.
Carolina Public Press
Another rural NC community coping with recent loss of hospital’s labor and delivery unit
May 30, 2025
The sole maternity unit at Harnett County’s rural hospital closed, forcing expectant mothers to travel 50 miles for prenatal and delivery care.
Local health officials are exploring telemedicine and midwife-led birthing centers, but limited funding and staffing shortages hinder prompt solutions.
SAFETY NET PROGRAMS
The Conversation
Cuts to school lunch and food bank funding mean less fresh produce for children and families
June 3, 2025
Reductions in USDA school-lunch reimbursements and emergency food-bank funding have cut the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in meals and pantry distributions, disproportionately impacting children and families in rural areas.
Rural food banks, already challenged by higher transportation costs and limited local produce sources, report greater difficulty sourcing and distributing healthy items, widening nutrition gaps in underserved communities.
Brookings Institution
Proposed SNAP cuts would permanently undermine recession readiness and responsiveness
June 5, 2025
Proposed cuts to SNAP benefits would strip a key economic stabilizer from rural communities, leaving families and local businesses with fewer resources during downturns.
In remote counties where job losses hit harder and recoveries lag, reduced SNAP funding would worsen food insecurity and weaken long-term economic resilience.
American Hospital Association
Medicaid Coverage Supports Rural Patients, Hospitals, and Communities
June 5, 2025
Medicaid coverage is a primary payer for rural hospitals, accounting for up to 40% of their patient revenue and helping keep facilities financially viable.
Expanded Medicaid eligibility improves access to care for rural patients by reducing uncompensated care costs and supporting local health services such as primary care clinics and emergency departments.
Brookings Institution
Any way you look at it you lose: Medicaid work requirements will either fall short of anticipating savings or harm vulnerable beneficiaries
June 5, 2025
Stringent Medicaid work requirements risk disenrolling rural beneficiaries who lack steady employment, resulting in minimal federal savings or harmful coverage losses.
Rural areas with fewer job opportunities face greater health access disparities as work mandates could strip essential care from chronically ill and low-income residents.
Cancer Health
Medicaid expansion improves cancer survival among people in rural, high-poverty communities
June 3, 2025
Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act is linked to significantly improved cancer survival rates among residents of rural, high-poverty communities.
Increased insurance coverage through expansion enabled earlier diagnoses and better access to treatment, reducing mortality disparities in underserved rural areas.
KRCG TV
Missouri senator warns Medicaid cuts could endanger rural health care access
June 3, 2025
The “Big Beautiful Bill” proposes over $600 billion in Medicaid cuts and work requirements, threatening closures of rural clinics and hospitals in Missouri where private insurance is scarce.
Senators and stakeholders warn that reducing Medicaid funding could force providers in small towns to shut down, leaving residents with even fewer healthcare options.
NC Newsline
Health policy experts: Medicaid expansion, program changes have helped NC patients and providers
June 2, 2025
Proposed Medicaid cuts threaten to eliminate mental health services in rural counties, forcing men to travel long distances or go without care.
The story highlights how community-based programs and telehealth initiatives—lifelines for rural mental health—are at risk, exacerbating isolation and unmet needs.
CBS News
Reporter’s Notebook: Medicaid cuts and the mental health of men in rural America
Jun. 3, 2025
John Dickerson highlights the story of Alex Jacobsen, a rural man whose mental health struggles intensified when his small-town clinic reduced counseling sessions due to tightened Medicaid budgets.
Medicaid currently funds critical telehealth and in-person psychiatric services in remote counties, but proposed federal cuts could force providers to curtail or close those services.
Rural men already face higher suicide rates and social stigma around seeking help; Jacobsen’s experience shows that losing Medicaid coverage can leave individuals isolated without timely crisis support.
Mental health experts warn that cutting Medicaid in rural areas will widen treatment gaps, resulting in more emergency hospitalizations and significant long-term costs for families and communities.
Houston Chronicle
Texas Republicans risk blowback in rural areas that rely on Medicaid, SNAP
June 2, 2025
Texas Republicans’ proposal to tighten SNAP and Medicaid eligibility would risk cutting benefits for thousands of rural Texans who depend on these programs for basic food and healthcare access.
County officials warn that reduced enrollment could force rural clinics and grocery stores to shoulder unpaid costs and exacerbate service gaps in sparsely populated areas.
Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio bills further regulating SNAP use, fraud prevention, see activity as cuts loom
Jun. 2, 2025
Proposed state measures would require stricter eligibility verification and impose tougher penalties for SNAP fraud, prompting concerns that rural recipients—who often rely on a single small grocery store—could face stigma or service disruptions.
With federal SNAP benefits potentially shrinking, rural food banks and community agencies warn that added administrative burdens at the store level may compound food-security challenges in low-population counties.
The Hill
Opinion: Medicaid cuts will harm rural Republican communities most
May 30, 2025
The Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts to Medicaid would disproportionately harm rural communities, where the program covers a higher share of residents and underpins many small hospitals’ revenue.
Reduced federal funding could lead to rural hospital closures, decreased access to primary and specialty care, and longer travel distances for patients seeking essential health services.
New York Focus
Small towns, big stakes: how Medicaid cuts threaten health care in the Adirondacks
May 29, 2025
Proposed cuts to Medicaid funding threaten to close or scale back services at rural Adirondack hospitals and clinics, leaving residents to travel over 100 miles for basic care.
Community leaders warn that diminished Medicaid reimbursements could force staff reductions and undermine emergency response capabilities in remote mountain towns.
TARIFFS
Border Belt Independent
Small businesses feel the pain of tariffs and economic uncertainty
May 27, 2025
Small business owners in Bladen, Columbus, Robeson, and Scotland counties report rising costs, shipping delays, and economic uncertainty as higher tariffs on imported goods squeeze their margins.
Many are absorbing the added expenses to keep prices steady for loyal rural customers, even as inflation concerns and unpredictable trade policies threaten their long-term viability.
TOURISM AND RECREATION
The Philadelphia Inquirer
DOGE closed campgrounds at Pa.’s biggest lake. Now, the locals are suffering.
Jun. 2, 2025
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indefinitely closed over 300 campsites at Raystown Lake due to staffing shortages tied to executive-order–driven budget cuts.
Hundreds of vacant sites have devastated local tourism–dependent businesses—bait shops, restaurants, and lodges—highlighting how policy decisions ripple through rural economies.
EdNC
Want to help with Helene recovery, support public schools? Rural tourism matters
June 3, 2025
During the 2023–24 school year, local tourism revenues accounted for 23 percent of public school funding in western North Carolina, but Hurricane Helene’s damage and travel disruptions have threatened that critical stream.
First Lady Anna Stein and regional chambers are urging visitors to spend their tourist dollars in the High Country this summer to help rebuild businesses and stabilize school district budgets.
The Statehouse News Bureau
Convention and visitors bureaus in counties with popular tourism attractions fight to keep funding
May 30, 2025
An amendment in the proposed Ohio state budget would require smaller counties collecting over $500,000 in lodging tax to redirect two-thirds of those funds to public safety, infrastructure, and economic development, leaving only a third for their convention and visitors bureaus.
Tourism leaders warn that this change could force bureau directors in rural areas such as Hocking Hills and Erie to terminate staff, cancel office leases, and scale back marketing efforts that drive visitor spending.
WILDFIRES
Source New Mexico
NM wildfire dispatch centers no longer face threat of closure, Heinrich says
June 3, 2025
Sen. Martin Heinrich announced that federal appropriations will fully fund New Mexico’s rural wildfire dispatch centers, averting their planned closure.
The decision preserves rapid emergency coordination for remote communities across the state’s most fire-prone backcountry.
Local fire chiefs praised the move, noting that continued operation of these centers is vital to protecting both public safety and rural economies reliant on natural-resource industries.