Drought, wildfire, hail: is there a USDA Disaster Assistance Program to help your farm or ranch?
Every year, natural events, from drought and wildfires to hurricanes and hail, impact the businesses of farmers and ranchers across the country. Currently, the Four Corners region of the U.S. is experiencing exceptional drought (the worst category!) and most of the Southwest is experiencing some level of drought or dry conditions. In addition to […]
2018 Farm Bill Luján-Bishop Letter Signed by 53 Members of Congress
NYFC is excited to share a bipartisan letter in support of programs young and socially disadvantaged farmers rely on in the 2018 Farm Bill. The letter, led by Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Sanford Bishop’s (D-GA), was delivered to House Agriculture Committee leadership, with support from 53 Members of Congress. In the letter, the Members requests […]
One young farmer is thankful for crop insurance, could it be right for you?
Case Study: Topp Fruits, Paonia, Colorado The western slope of Colorado is known for its peaches, so when Harrison Topp returned to the Rockies after years of farming vegetables in North Carolina, it’s no surprise that he was happy to start restoring 15 acres of older stone fruit trees on his family’s land in Paonia, […]
RELEASE: NYFC Publishes Report Calling on New York State to Make State Protected Farmland Affordable for Farmers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kate Bittman, kateb@youngfarmers.org / (917) 915-3350 National Young Farmers Coalition Publishes Report Calling on New York State to Make State Protected Farmland Affordable for Farmers “Farmland for Farmers – Working Farm Easements as a Tool to Keep New York Farmers on the Land” calls on New York State to prioritize funding for conservation […]
NYFC Gains Traction in New York Land Access Campaign
In New York State, NYFC has been advocating for the expanded use of working farm easements that not only protect the land, but also the farmer, by keeping land affordable and in farmer ownership. We recently had two significant successes in this effort. For the first time ever, easements that protect farmer ownership were made […]
Senate Farm Bill Committee Draft Reflects Young Farmer Needs
Senate introduces farm bill draft with the Young Farmer Agenda in mind
On Friday afternoon, the Senate Agriculture Committee released its long-awaited draft of the 2018 Farm Bill. In stark contrast to the hyper-partisan approach of their House counterparts, Senate Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) offered a bipartisan alternative, the product of months of negotiations and consensus-building. The result is a bill that, despite a challenging fiscal and political climate, contains significant wins for young farmers and ranchers.
Victory in Colorado! Bipartisan Apprenticeship Bill Becomes Law
Over the last year, NYFC chapters and members across Colorado testified, authored op-eds, met legislators in Denver, and brought legislators out to the farm to talk about the importance of supporting beginning farmer education through apprenticeships. SB18-042, a bipartisan effort to create an Agricultural Workforce Development Program is the result of their efforts.
Today, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper traveled to Durango, CO to sign SB18-042 into law.
House farm bill makes key land access investments, but misses big opportunities
NYFC policy staff continues to dig into the House farm bill, H.R. 2. Read our previous posts on the overall analysis of the bill, as well as its potential impact for young farmers in the West.
Across the country, climbing land prices have made it increasingly difficult for farmers to afford land. The challenge of land access for young farmers is so widespread and acute, in fact, that NYFC has an entire team dedicated to it. The farm bill, reauthorized by Congress every five years, can help, or hinder, young farmers’ ability to access land.
With West in Drought, House Farm Bill Cuts Conservation, Funds Land Access
Wedged in between White House scandals and Beychella, the House Agriculture Committee released their draft of the 2018 Farm Bill.
As NYFC outlined in our initial analysis of the bill, there is some good news for young farmers. Programs that support the next generation, like the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), are reauthorized, and funding for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), a critical tool for protecting farmland for future generations, is restored to $500 million.
House Farm Bill Will Cost Young Farmers, Organic, and Conservation
At long last, the House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) introduced his draft of the 2018 Farm Bill on Thursday. And we’ve got work to do. The bill maintains important provisions for beginning farmers, such as the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, but it would phase out programs that are critical to young […]