Latest news with #Heltman-Weiss
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local farming collective appeals grant termination after alleged DEI violations
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Providence Farm Collective (PFC) in Orchard Park filed an appeal last Thursday of a grant termination by the federal government, where it cited concerns of discriminatory practices associated with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The grant is for the collective's Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program and Incubator Farm Program, which provides farmland access, education, market access, shared equipment and resources to farmers. The grant funding, which is $750,000 and is in its second year, helps refugee, immigrant and Black farmers establish their footing in agriculture. 'The award termination letter indicates no factual findings or basis for the allegation that Providence Farm Collective has incorrectly or inappropriately used the grant funds,' Executive Director Kristin Heltman-Weiss said in the appeal. 'Nor are there any facts presented in the letter which support a determination that Providence Farm Collective's grant under BFRDP no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.' PFC runs 30 farms and supports more than 200 farmers, grows over 100,000 pounds of produce per year and provides food for over 14,000 Western New Yorkers. Leaders of the collective said earlier this month that the loss of funding threatens those operations. The United States Department of Agriculture previously said that the grant was pulled because the programs it supported allegedly violated federal civil rights laws. Heltman-Weiss said the collective's program is 'the opposite of exclusion,' saying 'every ethnic background, every culture, every skin color,' is seen in the collective. Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal grant pulled from local farming collective over alleged DEI violations
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Western New York nonprofit that supplies fresh produce to thousands of families is reeling after the federal government abruptly cut off its grant funding, citing concerns over discriminatory practices tied to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Providence Farm Collective (PFC), a 37-acre nonprofit farm located in Orchard Park, recently received notice from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that its $750,000 grant — currently in its second year — would be terminated. The funding supports a program helping refugee, immigrant and Black farmers establish their footing in agriculture. 'It was like a shocker to me and even to the rest of the communities that farm here,' said Hamadi Ali, the deputy director of PFC. The collective, which operates 30 farms and supports over 200 farmers, grows over 100,000 pounds of produce annually and serves more than 14,000 Western New Yorkers. The sudden loss of funding, which arrived just as the 2025 growing season began, threatens the future of those operations, according to its leaders. 'We're the only program west of Ithaca in all of New York state that offers farmer training on farmland, plus free resources and education,' said Kristin Heltman-Weiss, the executive director of PFC. 'This decision is a real threat to our local food system.' According to the USDA, the grant was removed because the programs it supported allegedly violated federal civil rights laws. An email from the department stated that eliminating all forms of discrimination is a priority and alleged that the DEI-focused programming at PFC may have engaged in 'unlawful discrimination.' Ali strongly disagrees with the USDA's interpretation. 'Our work being discriminatory and breaking the Civil Rights Act — it is just not true,' he said. 'There's every religion, every ethnic background, every culture, every skin color you will see here,' Heltman-Weiss said. 'This is the opposite of exclusion.' The loss of funding is part of a broader shift under the current federal administration, which has moved to roll back certain DEI-related policies and funding streams. Still, PFC leadership said they are not aware of any other farms in New York receiving similar notifications. 'I reached out to see if anyone else has gotten a letter like this,' Heltman-Weiss said. 'So far, I haven't heard of any other farm.' Despite the financial uncertainty, the collective is determined to move forward. 'A word — resilient,' Ali said. 'We are resilient folks — both the communities here and the Western New York region. We can weather this.' PFC plans to formally appeal the USDA's decision. The appeal must be submitted within 60 days. Latest Local News Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
