21 States Sue the USDA Over New Terms and Conditions

This week, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, co-leading a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed a major lawsuit to stop the administration from holding billions of dollars in critical food, agriculture, and rural development funding hostage in exchange for a state’s compliance with the Administration’s priorities. Put simply, if a state refuses to follow the White House’s anti diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, they could be found out of compliance with their government agreements.

On December 31, 2025, the USDA announced new conditions for its federal agreements. These rules require states (and other agreement holders) to adopt specific administration policies regarding gender identity, immigration, and diversity initiatives to remain eligible for funding.

The scope of the programs under threat is staggering. We aren’t just talking about office grants; we are talking about the national school lunch program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women Infants and Children (WIC) program, and other rural support programs including volunteer fire capacity programs.

AG Campbell and the coalition argue that the administration is operating far outside its legal lane.

https://onecountryproject.substack.com/p/21-states-sue-the-usda-over-new-terms