Globally, around one-third of soils are degraded. By the middle of the century, 90 percent or more could become degraded. In the Midwest alone, more than 57.6 billion metric tons of topsoil have been lost over the past 160 years.

At the same time, healthy soil has been increasingly shown to hold more water, reduce runoff and protect water quality, require less fertilizer, and sequester carbon. Thriving soil results in healthier crops, providing a positive return on investment for farmers and ranchers. Isn’t all of this worth protecting?

On Sunday, March 23, our team wrapped up our second-annual film screening series. All in all, we had nearly 200 folks registered for screenings of Feeding Tomorrow, Organic Rising, and Farming While Black! Together, we learned about the realities of organic and sustainable agriculture and the programs and people making our food system more just, resilient, and regenerative. Here are some highlights from each film.

Across the country, tens of thousands of farmers and the organizations serving them have been impacted by an unprecedented freeze on federal funds obligated under signed, lawful contracts. Beginning as soon as he took office on January 20, President Trump signed several executive orders targeting the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, and climate-related actions. As a result, many federal programs and funding contracts have been paused, modified, or altogether terminated.