Why the farm bill
matters
By Robert Gronski
Policy Coordinator,
National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC)
Q:
How are low-income families able to put food on the table for their children?
A:
Nutrition programs in the
Q:
How are family farms able to keep farming when crop prices are below the cost
of production?
A:
Farm support programs in the
Q:
How can we help protect farmland from environmental harm?
A:
Conservation programs in the
Q:
What can the people of God do to feed the hungry, assure fair treatment of
producers, and protect God’s creation for present and future generations?
A:
Improve the
The Church has a stake in the farm bill, now
under revision by Congress. In setting farm and food policies for our nation,
the farm bill has a crucial impact on how food is grown, what foods are grown,
who grows the food and who is able to eat good, nutritious food.
The Gospel calls all of us to feed the
hungry, help the vulnerable among us, and care for God’s creation. Many people
do so through charitable work in their communities and towns. But it is
possible to greatly expand our charitable work by shaping public policy and
letting Congress know how we feel about the farm bill.
The time to act is now. The House completed
their work on the farm bill in late July; the Senate takes up the farm bill in
September. Faith and social justice groups are raising their voices and calling
for policies and programs that can truly revitalize and sustain family farms.
This is good for rural
But aren’t family farms
virtually gone? It is true that many who want to farm cannot continue to
do so or, if young adults, unable to get started. Farmland is expensive and
land rental rates keep increasing, not to mention high costs for machinery,
fuel, fertilizer, seeds and other inputs. New policies can be set in place that
will replenish the countryside with a multitude of sustainable farmers and
ranchers. This can happen in tandem with financial incentives to conserve our
natural resources and new programs to revitalize a healthy food system for all.
Farm Bill Policy
Priorities
Maintain strong
nutrition programs
A top priority is a
strong Nutrition program that reauthorizes and improves the Food Stamp Program,
the nation’s first defense against hunger, and bolsters the efforts of the
emergency food assistance system. Ask Congress to maintain full funds for
Nutrition, but without pulling funds from crucial farm programs.
Make farm payments
fair
Income support
payments provide a safety net for farmers who grow crops subject to persistent
low prices. However, these payments encourage overproduction and do not fix the
low price problem. The House bill continues a failed policy where most payments
go to the largest operations. A major first step is to limit the amount any
farm operation can receive so that more dollars are available to other
agricultural and rural development programs. Ask Congress to support payment
limitation and better target support for family farms.
Reward good land
& water conservation
The
farm bill does not receive the funding needed to adequately conserve land and
water on all eligible farms and ranches. The House bill did increase funding
for some programs, but improvements and targeting are still needed. The Senate
should enact conservation provisions that better support family farms while
promoting land stewardship. Ask Congress to accelerate the conservation of
working lands, God’s creation, and substantially increase conservation funding,
but limit the amount any farm or ranch operation can receive.
Ensure fair and
competitive agricultural markets
There are few remaining open and competitive
markets where farmers and ranchers can sell their crops and livestock. Markets
are increasingly controlled by large multinational corporations. For many
farmers attempting to sell their crops and livestock, they must enter into
contracts with these corporations. The House bill does not provide sufficient
protection against unfair market practices. As a first step, the Senate bill
should include a fair competition livestock provision that ensures contracts
are fair and markets are open to independent producers.
Restore regional
farm markets and
local food supplies
The farm bill can help expand the
opportunities for farmers and ranchers to sell their products locally and
provide fresher and more nutritious foods. In addition, policies increasing
public awareness about healthy foods will help build local and regional food
systems.
Visit www.ncrlc.com to learn more about these
agriculture and food policies and how to talk to Congressional representatives
about a fair and just farm bill.
More information
can be obtained by accessing the following websites:
Farm Bill: House
Committee on Agriculture
http://agriculture.house.gov/
http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html
Senate Committee on
Agriculture
http://agriculture.senate.gov/
United States
Department of Agriculture
http://www.usda.gov
(click on “Farm Bill” shown under “Spotlights”)
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1UH?navid=FARM_BILL_FORUMS
“Agriculture/Rural
Issues” (list of statements & alerts related to the Farm Bill)
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/agric.shtml
Bread for the World
http://www.bread.org/
Other
options:
• Report the inequities of farm payment
distribution in your state. Visit http://farm.ewg.org/sites/farm/index.php?key=nosign
• Share why a local parish has decided to host a
farmers’ market or to participate in a Community Supported Agriculture project.
• Announce an upcoming Rural Life Day planned in
a parish or by the diocese and encourage people from throughout the diocese to
participate.
• Explore a water concern (drought, flooding, pollution) in your area highlighting the management of this
essential resource not for personal gain, but for the common good.
• Interview a parishioner who does a good job of
land and water stewardship and explore her/his relationship with land and
her/his motivation and needs.
• Examine the importance of food stamps in your
diocese.