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Connecting Federal Nutrition Dollars to Local Farmers
The farm bill is a massive piece of legislation that encompasses policies covering agriculture, conservation, trade, rural development, nutrition, and more. The current legislative package differs from the first farm bill, the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, which was passed almost 100 years ago. At that time, farmers were dealing with repercussions from World War I and the Great Depression’s impact on crop prices. As such, the inaugural farm bill included farmer support and commodity price controls that we continue to see in the legislation.
Fast forward to the 1960s, when President Lyndon B. Johnson spearheaded ambitious policy initiatives, programs, and legislation laid out for his “Great Society” agenda. Issues like inequality, poverty, and hunger took center stage for the Johnson administration. Medicaid and Medicare became law, the Job Corps program was created, and the Food Stamp Act was established—which would create the cornerstone link between agriculture and nutrition programs in the farm bill.
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Finding “Common Ground” Around Sustainable, Equitable Food Systems
In early November, OEFFA Grassroots Policy Organizers Lauren and Nicole had the pleasure of participating in a happy hour and movie screening of Common Ground. The screening was hosted by our partners at the Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council.
The Food Policy Council is an initiative of Green Umbrella and a collaboration between individuals and organizations working toward a vision of a resilient food system.
Common Ground is a follow-up to the film Kiss the Ground. Both highlight the importance of investing in local food systems and planetary health to foster a resilient food safety net.
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2023 In-District Recap
Every August, members of Congress spend time back in their districts. This is a great time for them to connect with their constituents, support local businesses, and be in their community. Between August and October, we had four in-district meetings with legislators directly, or their local staff. We are so grateful for all our member leaders who helped put these together, participated in the visits, and shared their stories.
Our Midwest state has a lot to offer regarding agriculture and food markets. All are unique and important for creating a food safety net that is sustainable for generations to come.
Below you will find a synopsis of each of our in-district visits, and some quotes from participants.
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Farm Bill 2023: A Major United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Policy
Guest blog post by Sasha Miller, Purplebrown Farmstead and Farm Store
More folks should discuss the farm bill when it renews every five years because it affects so much of our society through its policies and funding allocations. The farm bill not only determines in part what we eat and how much it costs, but also influences the wages of workers, who is able to become a farmer, the level of social support for improving food access, and what type of support is provided at all.
And, in the context of current climate challenges, the farm bill has a major impact on our collective carbon footprint, by encouraging certain agricultural production methods through its policies. For instance, conventional agriculture practices include nitrogen and topsoil runoff, major algae blooms in our lakes, methane pollution from CAFOs, and deforestation of vital forests for pasture and crops. These practices are incentivized through the farm bill and other USDA programs and lead to climate instability, tragic droughts, more frequent floods, wildfires, and more.
FARM POLICY MATTERS