An Intro to the Farm Bill
What’s the Farm Bill, in reality the Food Bill, and why does it deserve our attention amongst everything else that is occurring around us?
Because it’s sovereignty and security. Because it affects every part of your daily lives & much of society.
The Farm Bill was first enacted in 1933 as the Agricultural Adjustment Act, establishing minimum commodity prices and acreage reduction incentives (Paying farmers to NOT grow certain crops).
Before a series of major disruptions to both local and global economies and social organization many farms looked much like what we are attempting to return to. Basically organic, small, bio-diverse, with pockets of wilderness. The Farm Bill wasn’t super popular when it was introduced and for as much good as was intended there’s detrimental impact as well.
World War 1 had ended, the economy boomed, investors did risky business, and 10 years later the Great depression and Dust Bowl simultaneously decimated the American way of life. The Farm Bill was introduced, it was consequently shaped by World War 2 which ushered in the ironically named Green Revolution.
The Farm Bill is renewed every 5 years. It includes roughly 12 Titles: Commodities, Conservation, Trade, Nutrition, Credit, Rural Development, Research - extensions mostly in partnership with land grant universities, Forestry, Energy, Horticulture, Crop Insurance & good ol’ Miscellaneous.
Below you’ll read a bit more about each of these Titles and how they impact Good Rain Farm.
Right now, Congress is kicking a can down the road, deciding on what will make it into the 2023/24 farm bill, the most important piece of legislation shaping the future of food in the US. This is a critical moment to invest in the farmers who grow food for our communities!
Young and BIPOC farmers face immense barriers to building successful careers in agriculture, including landaccess, climate change, farmer mental health, lack of access to capital, and many other challenges. To have a future with young farmers or any farmers for that matter, we must transform federal farm policy.
Join me in pushing Congress to write a farm bill that serves the next generation in agriculture by signing up for Nation Young farmers Coalition’s Farm Bill Rapid Response Network. The links at the bottom of this post.
Title I: Commodities: Though originally focused on idling land to prevent oversupply of crops, over time the farm bill became the opposite creating an oversupply of commodity crops. Resulting in financial gains for corporations. The original intent was to create income safety to Farmers who are subject to the whims of the weather - thus ensuring national food & financial security. Commodity crops are primarily traded by large corporations in the economic sector, they are bought, sold and resold to generate income. Mostly Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Sugar, Peanuts, Rice, Cotton, Oil Seeds, Animal feed grains and Dairy Products. Commodity Crop subsidies have resulted in cheap & convenient fast foods, chips, cereals, etc . About ¼ of Farms can access these programs. Programs under this Title include(d): Crop Insurance, Dairy Subsidies (Govt. Cheese), Risk Coverage, Sugar Program and Federal Purchasing Programs (Commodities Box).
Title II: Conservation: The goal here was to reduce the Dust Bowl effect. Programs are: CRP, RCPP, CREP, CSP, NRCS, CIG, ACEP, AMA, EQIP. This is the part of the Bill that aimed at paying farmers to not farm, funding restoration projects such as Riparian Habitat Restoration, Installing Native Hedge Rows, Water conserving irrigation practices, and recently large no till seed drilling for the above mentioned commodity crops. Though highly successful this title is poorly funded.
Good Rain Farm has used NRCS EQUIPS grants on Cover Cropping and buying season extending hoop houses.
Farmers across the U.S. are dealing with the impacts of climate change. Including The Small Farm Conservation Act to further these efforts is crucial during this time.
Title III: Trade: This Title focuses on Domestic and Global trade markets of mostly commodity crops. US Agricultural Dumping contributes to a growing wealth gap between countries. Subsidies, tariffs, and international partnerships between global corporations and countries have wreaked havoc. Programs: Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, Emerging Markets Program, Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program and Local & Regional Food Aid Procurement.
Title IV: The Nutrition title holds a whole lot of programming and funding! During the Great Depression Hunger was at an all time high. One of the Farm Bills original goals was to address Hunger. This history kickstarted the distribution of the surplus foods (Commodities) that eventually evolved into soup kitchens, food banks & pantries. SNAP, DUFB, Farm to School, FDPIR, TEFAP, CSFP, SFMNP. Confusingly WIC is primarily under the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act and not the Farm Bill. Food Security is obviously a widely accepted National concern. Good Rain Farm accepts SNAP, DUFB, SFMNP, WIC. We are pursuing Farm to School partnerships and often collaborate with Food Banks, Pantries, and today's hot meal providers!
Title V: Credit is a huge issue in rural communities. Especially after the impact of the Great Depression. This Title is primarily concerned with FSA Loans. It also spurred the growth and use of many Credit Unions in rural communities. CU’s being consumer owned cooperatives in the Financial Industry and are regulated there. However they can often help facilitate Agricultural loan needs. Currently the FSA Direct Farm Ownership Loan maximum is $600k. There is NO pre-approval.
To support Farms like Good Rain, this is a big piece and ask we need to make of our legislators. Raise the maximum loan amount and include pre-approval!
The Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities (LASO) Act, a bipartisan marker bill, was introduced in the House and the Senate, including $100M for land access available to young and BIPOC farmers. Join National Young Farmers land campaign and tell your Members of Congress to support the LASO Act and land access for the next generation.
Title VI: The Rural Development title includes programs for rural economic growth through rural business and community development (including farm businesses) as well as rural housing, and infrastructure - such as financial credit services, and the Rural Utility Services which oversees rural electrification, telecommunications, water & environmental protections. (More Cooperatives!) All of this impacts all our lives as we surf the web reading up on our local farms and farmers!
Title VII: The Research title covers farm & food research, education, and extension programs, from federal labs to state university and funds vital training for the next generation of farmers & ranchers. Programs include NIFA, many of the educational workshops and field days Good Rain Farm has benefited from and maybe least known and very important is FRSAN: Farm & Ranch Stress Assistance Network - awareness, free therapy and training to primairly prevent suicide. Farming is notably in the top ten when it comes to rate of self harm, injury and death on the job. This work is physically, mentally, spiritually and financially demanding.
Nearly half of all U.S. farmland is expected to change hands over the next two decades, the average U.S. farmer is approaching 60 years old, and more than 2,000 acres of farmland are lost to development everyday. Many young and BIPOC farmers are leaving agriculture because we cannot secure affordable farmland. There’s stress on both sides. The possibility of losing the family farm legacy to development and debt (healthcare primarily) and the stress of trying to start a business that can thrive in capitalism.
If we want to build a future with young and BIPOC farmers, we need affordable, equitable, and secure land access. And it needs to come with universal healthcare, income and retirement support.
Title VIII: Forestry is about exactly what it says. Forest management, conservation and timber. That’s a big deal in the PNW and a big part of my family history. Wood is a major natural resource. There’s significant collaboration with Tribes under this title. This title is really about wood products, The Fish & Wildlife and National Parks land under the Dept. of Interior.
Title IX: Energy is biofuels, renewables, electrifying rural communities and research improvements. Major programs include REAP Grants. In this title we have ample opportunity to address climate change via technology and energy conservation.
Title X: Horticulture: Farmers markets and local food programs and related research is nestled under this title. As is funding & R&D for fruit and veggie infrastructure. Other horticultural crops - significantly Hemp is addressed here as Nursery stock providers - those who grow garden center plants & starts, Landscaping growers, grass seed. Oregon ranks 3rd in the nation for Nursery production and is the worlds largest producer of cool season turf & forage grasses (lawns) and organic farming and certification programs are regulated under this title as well.
Title XI: Crop Insurance: This is a historic component of the Farm Bill. Programming provides premium subsidies to farmers or the private crop insurance companies to protect against losses in yield, crop revenue, or whole farm revenue. The title also provides USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) with the authority to research, develop, and modify insurance policies.Critics argue that this programming results in “risk free” farming, whereas farmers expand into marginal and poor quality land. Currently with climate change having an impact and advocating for smaller, biodiverse farmers to access crop insurance may be leveling the playing field.
XII Title: Miscellaneous. All the leftover ‘other’. Under this title advocacy and outreach areas are brought together, including beginning, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers & ranchers. Also addressed here is agricultural labor safety and workforce development. As is livestock health also addressed. Several Trust Funds are included: Pima Cotton, Wool & Livestock Dealer Statutory Trust. Programs include: Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive and Sheep Production and Marketing Grant.
Young farmers need equitable Land Access Now. That is why I joined National Young Farmers Coalition Land Advocacy Fellowship.
The 2023/24 Farm Bill, which is currently being drafted, is our chance to address the land access and economic challenges we face. Tell Congress to support land access for the next generation by joining National Young Farmers’ campaign!
Book Reference:
The Farm Bill: A Citizen’s Gide by Daniel Imhoff
Reference Links:
https://youngfarmers.quorum.us/campaign/land-access/
https://sustainableagriculture.net/our-work/campaigns/fbcampaign/what-is-the-farm-bill/
