USAID order freezes work of Nebraska institute

Feb. 4, 2025, 10:30 a.m. ·

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute
President Donald Trump issued a freeze on foreign aid. That order impacts the United States Agency for International Development, which funds the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska. (Courtesy photo)

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President Donald Trump issued a flurry of executive orders hours after he took office. Among them was a 90-day freeze on foreign aid.

That order impacts the United States Agency for International Development, which funds Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Irrigation and Mechanization Systems, which is led by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska.

Frances Hayes
Frances Hayes

Frances Hayes, a spokesperson for DWFI, said the organization received a stop work order.

"We have received a stop work order based on the executive order freezing foreign assistance,” Hayes said. “The project will be reviewed for decision, but I have no other information at this time."

In 2023, DWFI took on a $19 million, five-year project to improve global food security. That project is now in jeopardy.

A press release from 2023 announcing the project said the lab would generate research-based evidence to support the growth of vibrant irrigation and mechanization markets, develop strong institutions and local capacity for their sustainability and foster opportunities for equitable access in Feed the Future focal countries. The project had a potential extension to an overall ceiling of $40 million.

DWFI was founded in 2010 to address the global challenge of achieving food security with less stress on water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the results to inform and advise policymakers, and educating future water for food leaders.