A Farm Bill Worth Fighting For

As the record-breaking extreme heat continues into August, members of Congress are returning home with climate and food issues at the forefront of their minds. The imminent September 30th deadline to reauthorize the Farm Bill adds urgency to the situation. This once-every-5-years piece of legislation profoundly shapes our nation's food policy, making it a matter that affects us all. Its impact is far-reaching, touching the lives of families striving to put food on the table, farmers toiling to grow it, and the dedicated workers who ensure that nourishment reaches our kitchens.

Now, as negotiations heat up heading into the fall, we urge Congress to listen to the broad coalition of anti-hunger, environmental, nutrition, public health, and worker advocates, calling for a good Farm Bill—that advances climate, health, and worker protections—not one that turns back the clock.

Protect Climate Investments

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and we are celebrating its historic investments of nearly $20 billion in conservation, $5 billion in forestry, over $12 billion in rural clean energy, and nearly $6 billion in relief for underserved farmers and ranchers. The Farm Bill stands as a crucial catalyst for nurturing these long-term investments, allowing them the time to mature and bear fruit.  In doing so, we pave the way for essential conservation practices that underpin regenerative and organic farming. Simultaneously, we seek to expand clean energy deployment, encourage widespread adoption of cover crops, promote agroforestry, develop innovative carbon management tools on farms, and bolster resources for underserved and at-risk farmers. Congress should take note of the widespread support for soil health saving practices given that 82% of Americans endorse federal funding for soil health.

Promote Healthy Food Access

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) supports the ability of over 42 million low-income people in the United States access food. A significant percentage of those people are families with children, seniors, or family members who are disabled. This essential tool goes a long way to ensuring people across the country have enough to eat, and yet even with the SNAP dollars that are currently available, families are making hard decisions about what to eat every day. The Farm Bill should continue delivering food to people who urgently need it and expand incentive programs, like the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), that help SNAP participants stretch their dollars further and make healthy foods more affordable.

Workers

People power our food and farming systems – and they need more benefits and fewer burdens. From fields to factories to grocery stores and restaurants, essential workers need safe workplaces, fair pay, and the same benefits enjoyed by people working in other sectors of our economy. The Farm Bill should support our food and farm workforce and advance fairness and equity throughout our farming economies.

United Together

This Farm Bill must meet the urgency of the moment and safeguard our workers, farmers, climate, and families across the country—together.  We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with anti-hunger, environmental, nutrition, public health, and worker advocates in calling for climate, health, and equity to be front and center as the Farm Bill is written.