The years since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, was signed into law have been among the most tumultuous in our nation’s history. Amid an increasingly disruptive and changing climate and the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in the illness and death of thousands of food workers, we also witnessed historic investments in the agricultural economy from the Inflation Reduction Act to the American Rescue Plan Act, and a long-overdue racial justice reckoning. These events conspired to thoroughly unveil the fragility of our farm and food system – impacting everything from the food and nutrition security of millions to the livelihoods of farmers, ranchers, food and farm workers, and countless others.
The next farm bill should begin to address the needs of the modern food and farm system by reflecting these changes in society and across our food, farm, and rural communities.
It must invest in all farmers and ranchers, strengthen our food system, build a fair and accessible farm safety net, improve climate resilience, and meaningfully support workers and the next generation of farmers. It must make meaningful progress against food insecurity and hunger - protecting and strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - while simultaneously supporting nutrition and access to healthy food. The next farm bill must uphold expert advice and existing processes for updating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and school meal nutrition standards. It must make long overdue investments in the food and farm workers who keep our food supply chains secure, vibrant, and resilient. And it must invest strongly in agricultural research and conservation programming.
The next farm bill has an opportunity to double down on the historic climate investments from the Inflation Reduction Act.
Finally, a new farm bill must prioritize investments that support individuals and communities who historically have been and, in some cases, continue to be underserved by current federal food and farm policy.
Every successful farm bill has been built on the foundation of bipartisanship and the active engagement of the various stakeholder communities, and the next farm bill should be no different. Please pass a farm bill that builds a brighter future for all.
First sent on August 28, 2024 by Jess Craven
