ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — In May, Providence Farm Collective (PFC), a 37-acre nonprofit farm in Orchard Park, had its $750,000 federal grant pulled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The organization filed an appeal against the termination, and now, its leaders said they’ve won a significant legal battle. A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting the termination.

The USDA cited concerns about alleged discriminatory practices linked to the farm’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming, claiming they may have violated federal civil rights laws.

“It is a win. It’s a temporary relief,” said Hamadi Mganga, the marketing coordinator for PFC. “But as I said earlier, that doesn’t mean the lawsuit’s over, and the federal government could always

See Full Page