Press Release  Trump Administration Terminates $45 Million to Protect Massachusetts Farms, Forests, Wetlands

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration is condemning the Trump Administration’s cancellation of more than $45 million in critical funding to accelerate land conservation efforts across Massachusetts. This includes a significant $20.8 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to Massachusetts that would have protected farmlands, forests, and wetlands for the long term. This funding would have benefited farmers and forest landowners, particularly in small, rural communities, and would have been used in projects carried out by a coalition of state agencies, land trusts, and municipalities.   

Additionally, the Trump Administration also canceled a $25 million grant to Mass Audubon that was set to protect more than 10,000 acres of vital forests and wetlands along the Connecticut River. This project was crucial for keeping our natural areas intact, healthy, and thriving for future generations. 

“President Trump is yet again taking action that will hurt Massachusetts’ rural communities, farmers and economy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This is funding that would have been used to ensure clean water, provide access to fresh local food, and support our agricultural economy. President Trump is making us less healthy and weakening our economy. He should reverse these cuts immediately.”

“These grants are essential for preserving farmland, protecting wetlands to reduce flooding risks and maintaining forests that attract tourism and outdoor activities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Cutting these funds puts extra pressure on local budgets, threatens rural jobs, and leaves our communities more vulnerable to disasters like floods and wildfires.”

“When we stop protecting natural lands, we lose clean air, flood protection, and the ability to slow climate change,” said Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “These places absorb carbon, shield our homes from extreme weather, and keep nature in balance. Without them, we all feel the impact.” 

“Canceling this funding strips farmers of critical tools to keep their land in agriculture through voluntary conservation easements. These agreements help make farmland more affordable for the next generation while allowing farmers to stay on the land and keep it productive,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle. “Without this support, farmers lose options – and some may be pushed to sell, putting local farming at risk.”

"This terminated $25M grant epitomized government efficiency and effectiveness. Not only would the grant have protected 10,000 acres of land that safeguards the public’s drinking water and benefits wildlife, it also would have leveraged tens of millions of private funds, and, importantly, kept working lands in the hands of private farmers,” said David O'Neill, President & CEO of Mass Audubon. "When we terminate grants that conserve our forests, keep working lands working, act as a flood protection buffer for communities, and leverage millions from other funding sources, we all lose.” 

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