Neither the House or Senate version of the farm bill goes nearly far enough to truly improve the lives and livelihoods of family farmers and rural communities.
House Farm Bill Passes, Will Fail Rural America
National Family Farm Coalition is extremely disappointed in the passage of the House farm bill yesterday. This draconian measure does little to help family farmers, while proposing punitive work requirements for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), making detrimental changes to conservation, and cutting funding for important programs that support local food systems. At a moment when farm income is projected at a 12-year low and dairy farmers are going out of business by the week, Congress must provide real solutions for struggling farmers, not play politics with the future of rural America.
Diverse Rural Farmer and Community Groups Praise Bipartisan Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill
A joint statement by NFFC and Rural Coalition on the Senate farm bill.
NFFC RELEASES 2018 FARM BILL PRINCIPLES
These principles have been drafted as the basis for returning equity, diversity, and sustainability to the food and agriculture system, overall, and to food producers of all kinds, in particular.
Over 200 Groups Urge Congress to Level the Playing Field for Farmers, Workers and Consumers
Today, a broad-based coalition of 210 farm, rural, worker and consumer advocacy organizations released principles for a fairer farm bill that would address the lack of competition in every link in the food chain. The groups point out that growing consolidation in the agribusiness, food processing and supermarket industries lowers prices for farmers and wages for farmworkers and other food chain workers, erodes rural economies, and raises prices while limiting choices for consumers. The letter calls on Congress to address the ongoing consolidation of these industries with policies that address unfair contracts for farmers, increase market transparency, reform USDA guaranteed loans and guarantee worker rights.
Kathy Ozer – A Fighter for Family Farmers With Integrity, Knowledge and Commitment passed away
Almost everyone in the country involved with family farmer issues knew Kathy Ozer. We also knew that she had been sick for a while and thought she was getting better. On January 22, the cancer – non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – finally took her from us. She was 58 years old.
Opposition to anti-GIPSA rider letter to House Appropriations
One hundred sixty eight organizations across the country signed onto a letter asking the House Appropriations Committee to oppose policy riders that inhibit GIPSA’s regulation and implementation authority.
Letter to House Appropriations regarding COOL funding levels
One hundred seventy-nine organizations signed onto a letter asking the House Appropriations committee to reject attempts to defund COOL through policy riders.
Letter to Senators Pryor and Blunt on Veteran Farmers
Forty-five organizations signed on to a letter urging Senators Pryor and Blunt to fully fund programs for veterans who are now in agriculture and the Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison office during the current appropriations process.
Spring Newsletter has Sprung!
As Spring has finally arrived, so has our latest Newsletter.
Legislative Update from D.C.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack appeared before the House Agriculture Committee last week to discuss the state of the rural economy and field questions on the implementation of the Farm Bill. Over the past few weeks USDA officials have appeared before the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to discuss USDA’s proposed budget for FY2015. And as always, bills are being introduced on the Hill that would have real impacts on the lives of farmers. Here are some key highlights:
NFFC Board President Notes Progress and Setbacks in 2014 Farm Bill
Read NFFC’s President Ben Burkett Review of 2014 Farm Bill