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2025 Changes and Successes
2025 has been a year of constant and often unprecedented change. It brought about both challenges and opportunities for the growers and eaters in OEFFA’s community. Many farmers are still reeling from the impacts of this year’s federal funding freeze and the lack of a sorely needed new farm bill. Yet, there is also a sense of careful optimism stemming from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and its focus on natural food and soil health.
This year has also brought about uncertainty and transition for OEFFA and the work of our Policy Program. Still, there’s much to celebrate as we prepare to close out the year.
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Curbing Consolidation this Holiday Season
We are in the thick of the holiday season, and over two-thirds of those who celebrate with a meal have reported that food prices will impact their plans. Holiday staples like hams, green beans, and cranberry sauce likely cost more this year, yet our farmers only get pennies on the dollar of goods sold.
Year after year, corporate consolidation has weakened our agricultural system and threatened our producers. Anti-competitive markets and increasing corporate control are bipartisan issues, and solutions have emerged from both sides of the aisle.
But curbing these problems and supporting our farmers will require real political will from our legislators and our community to combat some of the most powerful corporations on the planet. Until then, we can all take steps to avoid contributing to consolidation, especially around the holidays.
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Cross Post: Keeping Farmers on the Land
Photo credit: Erin Larson via Unsplash Editor’s Note: This blog post was written by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), of which OEFFA is a member, and first appeared on their site here.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) traces its earliest roots to the farm crisis of the 1980s, when cycles in the global economy and federal agricultural policy combined to push farmers losing their farms into the national spotlight. The 330,000 farm families who lost their farms between 1978 and 1992 were, unfortunately, not the last. The total number of farms has continued to steadily decrease since then, with the loss of mid-sized farms at a particularly concerning rate.
Within the past couple of years, there has been mounting evidence suggesting a tipping point for farmers and ranchers not unlike that of the 1980s. Today, high production costs, unstable markets, and low crop prices driven by uncertain export markets and overproduction have converged to create an economic climate in which farmers’ livelihoods are threatened. Earlier this year, hundreds of farmers – reportedly more than 500 – attended a single meeting to ask for help. Moments of farm crisis – like the one we are in now – stand out from the decades-long drumbeat of farm losses across agriculture.
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Grassroots and Dirty Boots: A New OEFFA Policy Podcast!
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, Grassroots and Dirty Boots, which can be found on Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts. In this podcast, we will talk about movements of change from the ground up and highlight stories from advocates and leaders across the food and farm system. Each episode centers on grassroots movements in the heartland and uplifts the experiences of OEFFA members and others who are part of our vibrant community of changemakers.
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Government Shutdown and Federal Challenges: Impacts on Our Farmers
Last updated on November 13, 2025
We’re officially out of the 43-day-long government shutdown, the longest in history.
We got here because Congress did not pass its annual 12 appropriations bills by the end of the fiscal year for the government (September 30). The House passed a continuing resolution on September 19; however, the Senate has voted on this legislation 14 times, and it has continued to not pass.
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is a community of sustainable and organic farmers, handlers, producers, and consumers. The challenges faced by those in our network are unique to diversified and usually small or mid-scale farms. Therefore, the recent government shutdown, USDA staffing changes, future healthcare premium increases, and other events have specific implications on the businesses of these land stewards.
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Celebrating Soil, the Foundation of it All
It’s hard to overstate the importance of what lies beneath our feet. Healthy soil is the foundation of clean water, nutritious food, strong economies, and thriving communities. It supports a farmer’s bottom line and, when cared for, it also plays a critical role in storing carbon and helping to mitigate the climate crisis.
Yet despite all that depends on it, this vital resource is being lost and degraded at alarming rates. The value of soil is often overlooked, and even those who understand its importance are left without the tools and support needed to protect it.
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Marker Bills We Oppose
The farm bill expired for the third time on September 30, after little movement earlier last year. While the agriculture community anxiously awaits an updated version better suited to modern farm needs (not those of 2018), marker bills are still regularly being introduced.
As a reminder, marker bills do not get passed on their own. Instead, they’re introduced by members of Congress with the hopes of being included in larger legislative bills—like the farm bill. Think of them as “building blocks” to amass attention and build support for certain policy proposals.
Our team has been tracking OEFFA-endorsed marker bills here. Based on discussions with members of our Consolidation Caucus, we would also like to highlight a few marker bills that we oppose.
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OEFFA Policy Fellow Launches New Guide: ‘Navigating the Agricultural Landscape’
Jennifer Lumpkin lives and grows in Cleveland, Ohio. Drawing from her experiences as a food systems advocate and beginning farmer, she has prepared an all-encompassing guide as our second OEFFA Policy Fellow.
Navigating the Agricultural Landscape provides a firsthand look at the processes involved in communicating with agricultural departments, better understanding farmer support programs, and advocating within various levels of government.
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The Vital Services Provided by OEFFA’s Sustainable Agriculture Educators
Guest post written by former OEFFA Sustainable Agriculture Educator, Johnnie Speicher. Originally published in the Summer 2025 OEFFA Newsletter.
OEFFA has long been an important partner, resource, and voice for the sustainable agriculture community. One of the most frequently consulted positions at OEFFA is that of the Sustainable Agriculture Educator, or SAE. Thanks in part to greater investment in sustainable agriculture from the federal government, OEFFA has been able to expand the SAE positions and the support provided to our agricultural community.
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Strengthening Local Food Systems: A Q&A with The Local Butcher
Farmers and food businesses alike are facing consistent setbacks resulting from recent federal actions. Multiple approaches can be taken to support local businesses, like The Local Butcher. We had the opportunity to chat with the Meeks family of the Athens, Ohio-based meat processing plant.
Read on to learn about how policy can lead to much-needed investments for The Local Butcher, our local communities, and our local food systems.
FARM POLICY MATTERS