Press Release  AG Campbell Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Holding Hostage Billions in Critical USDA Funding

BOSTON — Today, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over its unconstitutional and unlawful attempt to impose conditions on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, grants, cooperative agreements and mutual interest agreements.

In their lawsuit, AG Campbell and the coalition assert that USDA has introduced vague and expansive funding conditions relating to immigration, diversity, equity and inclusion, and gender identity, to coerce states into adopting the Administration’s policies on these issues. USDA has also demonstrated its intention to enforce the challenged conditions—which are unrelated to the purpose of USDA funding—in new ways that would be problematic for many states. 

The lawsuit asks the court to block USDA from imposing these illegal funding conditions, including on critical USDA programs such as the school lunch program; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP); and the Volunteer Fire Capacity Program. These programs provide basic, essential services for Massachusetts’ most vulnerable children, working families, senior citizens and rural communities.

  “These federal grant programs are a lifeline for families across Massachusetts. I know that firsthand, as my own family relied on these programs when I was growing up,” said AG Campbell. “They ensure that children have access to meals at school, families can cover basic necessities, seniors can stretch limited incomes, and rural communities have critical support. These are vital investments in the health, stability, and wellbeing of our communities. Our lawsuit asks the court to block the USDA from imposing illegal conditions that would threaten funding for these programs.”

On December 31, 2025, USDA announced new conditions that apply to all of USDA’s federal financial assistance grants and cooperative agreements. The conditions require states to adopt the Trump administration’s policies on gender identity, diversity, immigration and fair athletic opportunities for girls and women. However, AG Campbell and the attorneys general explain in their lawsuit that USDA does not fully identify or describe the policies that funding recipients must comply with, leaving states at the mercy of the administration in both the interpretation and the enforcement of these new conditions. Adding to the chaos and confusion, USDA has said little about the implementation of the new conditions, leaving states without guidance on how the conditions will apply to critical nutrition programs, including the school lunch program and SNAP.  

In their lawsuit, AG Campbell and the coalition allege the Trump administration has violated the Spending Clause by imposing coercive conditions without clear notice of its funding restrictions. The lawsuit also alleges the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) because the conditions are arbitrary and capricious, not constitutional, contrary to statute and beyond USDA’s authority.

USDA funding encompasses a vast range of programs: they feed about 30 million children across the nation through the school lunch program, strengthen the American food ecosystem from farm to table, support national security through a robust and safe domestic agricultural sector, fund university research to advance domestic food production, and save lives and infrastructure by funding firefighting programs.

In Massachusetts, federal nutrition programs are a cornerstone of food security. In fiscal year 2025, USDA allocated over $430 million to support the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Special Milk Program, reaching approximately 2,100 schools. Each day, an average of 590,000 students received lunch, and 292,000 students received breakfast through these programs, with more than 150 million meals reimbursed in fiscal year 2024.

SNAP remains Massachusetts’ largest anti-hunger program. As of January 2026, an average of 975,000 Massachusetts residents, including families, children and older adults, relied on SNAP each month.

Additionally, the University of Massachusetts receives millions of dollars in annual funding from USDA as part of the land-grant university system, which dates back to 1862. The programs funded by these grants are vital to educating the food scientists of the future; advancing agricultural research; improving the productivity of the Massachusetts food system; helping farmers, ranchers, and foresters develop better tools and practices; and addressing nutrition disparities across Massachusetts.

AG Campbell and the attorneys general have asked the court to prohibit USDA from implementing or enforcing the illegal conditions.

Joining AG Campbell in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.  

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