farm bill
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Budget fight threatens to turn Farm Bill into Industrial Ag Bill
Will eco-friendly and people-friendly farm programs get steamrolled?Will the next Farm Bill, scheduled for passage in 2012, put public policy in service of a food system that works for farmers, eaters, and the environment? Well, optimism over federal food-policy reform never runs very high in sustainable-ag circles. The agrichemical lobby is flush with cash and […]
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For once, developments in Washington could make things better on the farm
The outlook for small farms could be getting a bit sunnier.Photo: andyrobeI write on Grist about my small farm, but my day job is different. I’m an organizer for the Nebraska-based Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA). One of the things we do at CFRA is try to tweak federal farm policies in ways that help […]
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Dear Obamas: Let’s move … on food policy reform
Gardening is great, but food policy reform is even better.Photo: The White HouseMichelle Obama recently celebrated the first anniversary of her Let’s Move campaign to inspire healthier eating. But as the popular face of the Obama administration’s advocacy for healthy, nutritious food, the first lady has conveniently side-stepped several critical consumer food issues like organics, genetically […]
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How the next farm bill could plant a new crop of farmers
Microloans could encourage young people to become farmers.Photo: Chewonki Semester SchoolUSDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently called for 100,000 new farmers — a recognition that the U.S. farm population is aging rapidly. To create a revitalized, sustainable, and socially just food system, we need to cultivate a new generation of farmers — and quickly. But starting […]
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Young farmers need help from the USDA — and the next Farm Bill
The U.S. needs more new farmers, and the USDA says it wants to encourage them. But as the stories of several young farmers show, money and help aren't easy to get.
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Why deficit hysteria isn’t good for food-system reform
The Beltway has been overcome by a wave of deficit hysteria. That may spell doom for farm subsidies -- but it can only hurt the effort to reform the food system.
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What the midterms mean for federal ag-policy reform
That two-headed beast known as the Congressional Ag Committees got a major blood transfusion from voters Tuesday. Here's how it shook out -- and what to expect going forward.
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Senate ag committee chair is opening up. Who's in line?
Blanche Lincoln, chair of the Senate agriculture committee, is headed for defeat. You won't catch me shedding tears over her exit, but who will replace her in this key role? A Big Ag politician, or one who might support Farm Bill reform?