Engagement with our elected representatives is a cornerstone of our democratic system – and amidst turbulent times, it’s more important than ever that legislators and policy makers hear directly from constituents how their policies impact the livelihoods of their communities. NFFC hosts our annual fly-in to bring these stories, of hope and of struggle, straight to the halls of Congress. By bringing advocates and farmers to meet with legislators in DC, our message becomes louder, more unified, and impossible to ignore. 

Recent reporting has raised the alarm on an emerging farm crisis in rural America. But our members know that there is nothing “emerging” about it. The crisis that plagued so many farms during the 1980s never truly ended though the media coverage did. Farmers were left to endure the consequences of “get big or get out” farm policies, with many forced to shutter their doors in recent decades. Fast forward to today and the numbers are too stark to ignore, as even the largest farms find themselves unable to weather the storm. As a result, and coinciding with the release of the House Agriculture Committee’s draft Farm Bill, this year’s fly-in felt different. Across party lines, staffers shared with us that farmers from all over the country have been calling in their concerns and demanding policy relief. While every farmer, rancher, or fisher has a different story, they are all forced to navigate the same system. At NFFC, we aim to make sure that the system works for them, not the corporations pulling the strings behind the curtain.

The Dairy group speaking to legislative staff in support of NFFC’s proposed Milk from Family Dairies Act.

Kaitlyn Kimball, owner-operator at Sunset Farm and a member of NOFA-CT, reflected in her blog post for NFFC that,

“There seemed to be an awakening in these meetings that our challenges with farm viability do not discriminate by party. Our food system, like many other issues, should not be partisan. The dissonance on other social issues faded for a brief moment as we collectively agreed on one thing: small farmers need our help.”

As in past years, we organized our fly-in around 5 key policy priorities for our membership – farmland access and governance, fair farm credit, dairy sector support, restoring Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL), and protecting on-farm slaughter. We were joined by two dozen delegates from 17 organizations. In just two days on the Hill, our coalition met with nearly 50 Congressional offices from across the political spectrum and including leadership on the House and Senate agriculture committees. Together, we sent a clear message to Congress: it’s long past due for policies that guarantee fair pricing, just treatment, and greater protections for small and mid-scale producers

LEFT: The Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling group poses outside of Rep. Kat Cammack’s office after a meeting. RIGHT: The On-Farm Slaughter group after meeting with Sen. Rand Paul’s staff in support of the LOCAL Foods Act.

Heather Bilden, of Coulee Creek Ranch and a member of Northern Plains Resource Council, shared with us:

“I saw the value of working alongside other advocates for issues impacting family farms and ranches. The teamwork was empowering! I truly felt like together we can make a difference.”

NFFC thanks the farmers and advocates who joined us and courageously shared their stories and experiences with legislators. We are also extremely grateful for the time that legislators and their staff shared with us, and for their deep attention to our cause. The coalition is eager to continue farm policy discussions in Congress and together will continue to tirelessly fight for a transformational Farm Bill!

NFFC member organizations who participated in the fly-in include:

Agrarian Trust; Community Alliance for Global Justice; Community Farm Alliance; Dakota Resource Council; Dakota Rural Action; Family Farm Defenders; Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance; Federation of Southern Cooperatives; Land Loss Prevention Project; Missouri Rural Crisis Center; North American Marine Alliance; Northeast Organic Farming Association; Northern Plains Resource Council; Powder River Basin Resource Council; Rural Advancement Foundation International, Rural Vermont, and the Women, Food and Agriculture Network