A new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) outlines the dangers of the Republican-led Project 2025 agenda, a sweeping plan that, if enacted, would dismantle key federal protections and consolidate power in the hands of Donald Trump and his allies. Though the CAP report examines the potential impact of Project 2025 on rural America broadly, the consequences for Ohio’s rural communities are particularly alarming.
How Project 2025 Could Harm Ohio’s Rural Communities
Project 2025 hinges on Republicans regaining control of both Congress and the presidency in the 2024 elections. The plan, which spans over 900 pages, is designed to shift power from the public and concentrate it in the hands of conservative politicians, corporations, and courts. The CAP report outlines several ways this could have devastating effects on Ohio’s rural communities.
1. Increased Financial Risk for Ohio Farmers
One of the most critical threats outlined in Project 2025 is the elimination of key agricultural support programs, including the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. These programs serve as financial safety nets for Ohio farmers, protecting them from drastic drops in crop prices. Without these programs, many Ohio farmers, especially those in rural counties reliant on corn, soybean, and grain production, could face severe financial instability.
Additionally, Project 2025 proposes a ban on farmers receiving federal payments in the same year they claim crop insurance indemnities, further squeezing their margins and making it more difficult for small, family-owned farms to stay afloat. The elimination of crop export promotion programs, such as the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program, would also undercut Ohio’s agricultural industry, which relies on these funds to reach global markets.
2. Eliminating Child Care Options
Rural Ohio already suffers from a lack of affordable child care options, often referred to as “child care deserts.” Project 2025’s plan to eliminate the federal Head Start program would worsen this situation. Head Start provides no-cost child care and early childhood education for low-income families, serving approximately 28,000 children in Ohio. The loss of this program would disproportionately affect rural communities, where child care options are already scarce.
3. Defunding Public Schools
Project 2025 also aims to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, which would strip schools in Ohio’s rural areas of Title I funding. These funds are critical in supporting low-income students and ensuring that rural schools can provide quality education. In Ohio, the elimination of Title I could result in the loss of over 5,000 teaching positions and negatively impact approximately 89,000 students statewide. For rural students, who often have fewer educational options, this could widen the opportunity gap even further.
4. Ending Free School Meals
Ohio’s rural communities could also lose access to free school meal programs, such as the Community Eligibility Provision, under Project 2025. Many rural students rely on these meals for daily nutrition. According to the CAP report, eliminating this funding could affect as many as 3,000 schools across Ohio. Rural areas, where child food insecurity is often more prevalent, would be hit hardest by the proposed cuts.
5. Undermining Disaster Recovery Efforts
Ohio’s rural areas are frequently affected by extreme weather events, such as flooding and tornadoes, making access to federal disaster recovery funds critical. Project 2025 includes plans to eliminate the Small Business Administration’s direct lending program, the largest source of federal disaster recovery assistance. For rural communities that lack the financial resources and personnel to seek alternative forms of assistance, this could leave Ohioans to fend for themselves in the aftermath of severe weather.
6. Gutting Rural Connectivity
Project 2025 calls for repealing unspent funds from the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including money allocated to expand broadband access in rural areas. Rural Ohio has long faced challenges with reliable internet access, and without this funding, many communities would remain underserved. Access to broadband is critical for businesses, students, and telehealth services, and removing these investments would widen the digital divide between rural and urban Ohioans.
7. Limiting Air Travel for Rural Ohioans
The plan also proposes ending the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which subsidizes air travel to rural areas. Several regional airports in Ohio, including those in places like Lima and Athens, rely on these subsidies to maintain service. Without the EAS program, rural residents could face skyrocketing ticket prices or lose air service entirely, cutting off a critical connection to larger markets and services.
Project 2025 is a blueprint for centralizing power and dismantling programs that rural Ohioans depend on for their livelihoods, education, and connectivity. If implemented, it would leave the state’s rural communities more vulnerable to economic hardship, natural disasters, and isolation. Ohioans should be aware of the significant risks this agenda poses and consider the long-term impacts it could have on their way of life.
