Priority Action
Tell Congress to keep their promises to farmers of color and small farmers!
This is a deciding moment for your voice to be heard ahead of November's midterm elections and the 2023 Farm Bill. NOW is your chance to let your legislators know that you want their support for the success of small and mid-sized family farmers, and farmers of color, across the US.
The Farm Bill has far-reaching impacts on food and agriculture and could fulfill crucial outcomes like achieving fair prices and agricultural credit for farmers prices, enforcing antitrust safeguards to curb corporate control, supporting conservation practices, and creating affordable access to land. Discussions for the 2023 Farm Bill have already begun! With your help, we can ensure that this Farm Bill includes transformative, justice-focused policies that help small family farmers thrive.
Contact your legislators today and urge them to ensure that racial equity and small-scale producers are prioritized in the 2023 Farm Bill! Use the following sample email to get started:
Dear [Legislator Name]
I am writing to ask you to prioritize the needs of America’s family farmers, ranchers, and farmers of color in discussions for the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill.
The Farm Bill is a crucial opportunity to ensure that small family farmers, and farmers of color, are able to thrive in the face of mounting pressures from climate change, corporate consolidation, and systemic low prices for their products. For Black and other farmers of color, historic USDA discrimination has added yet another barrier to their success. These farmers deserve to be heard. I urge you to center their needs in the next Farm Bill.
Small family farms are the backbone of rural America, making up 89 percent of all US farms. Despite this, small family farms and farmers of color are under threat, continually forced out of business by unfair competition from corporate agribusinesses. Your support for Farm Bill policies that prioritize their needs will help keep them on their land and feeding their local communities.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Tell TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America), which manages pensions funds for millions of people in many public sector jobs, to stop investing in farm land in the U.S. and Brazil. University faculty, staff and students are urged to download a Senate Faculty toolkit to develop a plan for addressing TIAA's farm land grabs. Everyone is encouraged to sign a petition at StopLandGrabs.
Demand fair prices for farmers. Sign up below to receive our action alerts and learn about upcoming policy opportunities.
Schedule meetings with your Representatives or Senators to discuss the issues family farmers and rural communities need to see action. To locate staff for your members of Congress, visit congress.org, click U.S. Congress under Elected Officials on the left bar, search for your member, click on their name, and click on Staff Members (under the member's picture). You will get a list of all lead staff as well as office phone numbers and locations. Call NFFC's office if you need help with your search: 202-543-5675.