Chellie Pingree

Responding to a request from Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, the General Accountability Office on Friday released a study that said “The Agriculture Department has taken few actions to enhance the resilience of farms and forests to the climate-related risks of diseases and pests, and funding and staffing supporting those actions have decreased.”

GAO added that “key programs” such as the Climate Hubs have lost staff. GAO requested updated information from USDA regarding the status and impact of these cuts, but the department did not provide it.

GAO said USDA needs to consult with agricultural and land-management stakeholders, conduct a nationwide assessment identifying and comparing the climate-related risks posed by agricultural and forest diseases and pests and develop a national strategy for managing those risks. Pingree said in a news release, “USDA should be our first line of defense — providing farmers and forest landowners with reliable science, early warnings, and practical assistance.”

“Instead, the Trump administration is proposing deep cuts to the Climate Hubs and other programs while shedding the expertise needed to confront these threats, Pingree said.

“House Republicans have gone along with this and eliminated funds for Climate Hubs in the proposed fiscal year 2027 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. That is dangerously shortsighted. GAO has provided a practical roadmap, and USDA should act on both recommendations without delay.

“Pingree also sent Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins a letter urging her to “meet this moment with urgency, leadership, and a clear commitment to implementing the GAO’s recommendations.”

–The Hagstrom Report