Federal Policy

Joining forces with our national partners, OEFFA is a powerful voice for federal policies that support organic and sustainable agriculture, combat consolidation, and level the playing field for beginning and BIPOC farmers. Working together, OEFFA members and partners were able to secure many important wins in the 2018 Farm Bill, and we hope to do the same with a new farm bill that reshapes our food and agricultural system for the better.

Over the span of several months, OEFFA members have developed a proposal to make crop insurance fair, functional, and informed. Through the tireless efforts of these farmers and advocates, we have formed and strengthened relationships with the Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Critical to this work is farmers joining us in Washington, D.C., which we aim to do every time we go to our country’s capitol for coalition meetings. With your help, we can continue to bring farmers’ voices, experiences, and needs to our elected officials on Capitol Hill. Reach out to share your story.

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Passed approximately every five years, the farm bill is an omnibus piece of legislation that impacts all aspects of our food and farm system. The farm bill is our single greatest opportunity to realize an agricultural system that promotes soil health and climate resilience, invests in local and regional food system, addresses consolidation, invests in sustainable research, and provides more support for beginning and BIPOC farmers.

Federally-subsidized crop insurance works well for some farmers and a few key crops, but many OEFFA farmers find much of their risk unprotected in the face of a changing climate. There is significant opportunity for reforms to make this farm safety net program more fair, functional, and informed—and OEFFA member proposals can help move these reforms forward.

Federal Food and Farm Policy Priorities

Months of meetings and consultation with OEFFA members led to the five pillars of our federal policy priorities.

1. Promoting Soil Health and Climate Resilience through Conservation Policy

OEFFA members believe that it’s essential to our future to invest in the health of our soil and build climate resilience through conservation programs. When federal programs cultivate equity and invest in—rather than exploit—our shared and finite resource, we build strength and resilience necessary for long-term agricultural viability.

2. Increasing Investments in Local and Regional Food Systems

OEFFA members believe that making transformative investments in diverse, local, and regional food systems is essential for our future. Access to local, fresh, nutrient-dense food is foundational to community health. When federal programs empower local and small-scale producers, our regional food systems become healthier, stronger, and more resilient and equitable.

3. Addressing Consolidation in the Food and Agriculture System

OEFFA members believe that agricultural consolidation disadvantages small and mid-sized farmers and the diverse regional food systems essential for a resilient future. Federal policy and a crop insurance program that works for all farmers can help to level the playing field.

4. Investing in Organic and Sustainable Research

OEFFA members support a transformative investment in organic and sustainable research to address our nation’s most urgent challenges. Organic and sustainable farming practices should receive a fair share of federal research dollars and farmers should have access to research that helps them farm responsibly and profitably.

5. Providing More Support for Beginning and BIPOC farmers

OEFFA members believe that providing more support for beginning and BIPOC farmers is necessary to build an equitable, robust, and resilient food system. Federal policies and programs can help to address current and historic inequities that have disproportionately impacted beginning and BIPOC farmers, limiting their access to affordable farmland, capital and financing, and market opportunities.

Federal Policy News