3 days ago
Federal judge rules some USDA grant terminations were illegal
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Department of Agriculture illegally terminated several grants earlier this year, including one that was part of a signature Biden administration climate program.
Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, ordered the department to restart payments for five grants it canceled for agricultural and forestry nonprofits and blocked a sixth grant cancellation from proceeding.
The decision could boost nonprofits and states across the country who are fighting the Trump administration's funding cuts, which have impacted the bottom lines for food banks, local governments and a variety of farmers. While Howell's ruling only applies to the specific nonprofits that sued over USDA's terminations, their success may prompt more organizations to challenge the administration in court.
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'The Court's granting of the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction is the only appropriate response to DOGE and USDA's illegal and destructive grant cancellation,' David Muraskin, managing director for litigation at FarmSTAND and attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. 'As a result of today's ruling, the plaintiffs in this case will be able to support a habitable climate, fair food system, and healthy nation for all again.'
