Young Farmers Highlight Meetings From 2022 Spring In-Districts
When Congress goes on recess each spring, legislators tend to leave Washington, D.C. and head back to their home districts for District Work Periods, or “in-districts.” In April, thirty-nine farmers held thirty-two in-district meetings with legislators across the country to share about the challenges they face on their farms, and the policy solutions they need. […]
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Training Programs in Danger of Farm Bill Cuts
Kelly Wilson got the confidence to start her own small, diversified vegetable farm after taking a training program at Michigan State University. Her farm, Simple Gifts Farm, is outside Oxford, Michigan, where she grows vegetables that she sells wholesale to local restaurants. The program she took is one of hundreds of training programs for young […]
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.
RELEASE: House Agriculture Committee concludes farm bill work without making necessary changes for young farmers
Partisan markup yields heated debate, few amendments; NYFC calls on U.S. House to make improvements as farm bill goes to the floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 18, 2018) – The House Agriculture Committee completed its markup of the House farm bill today and reported the bill to the full U.S. House. Despite a robust debate, the Committee made few changes to the bill, no moves to restore mandatory funding for programs critical to young farmers, and left key concerns over conservation, nutrition, and loan programs unaddressed. As the bill moves toward the House floor, the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) called on all Representatives to make significant changes.
Announcing NYFC’s Land Affordability Calculator
findingfarmland.youngfarmers.org Fall is when farm work, done under the glow of the sun, gives way to farm planning under the glow of a computer screen. If your farm planning includes a search for—or even just a dream of—land of your own, NYFC has a tool for you. This fall, NYFC launched Finding Farmland, a website designed […]
Big USDA Wins for Young Farmers
This past week, USDA announced two big changes coming to your local county office. First, USDA will be hiring five new staff members at the state level to coordinate new farmer programs for the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) has pushed USDA to provide specialized expertise for new farmers, and […]
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Invests in Public/Private Farmland Agreements
One of the most significant challenges facing young farmers today is access to—and retention of—quality farmland. Innovative land tenure models are the focus of many advocacy and research organizations. The role of public lands in farmland retention is less clear—but one national park in Ohio is navigating a public/private land use model aimed at keeping […]
Rogue Farm Corps Recruits Aspiring Farmers for their Hands-on Education and Mentoring Programs
Farming is a tough business, and beginning farmers need hands-on experience and mentoring before they can successfully take on a commercial operation. Finding that experience and mentoring can be a significant challenge, and it’s at the heart of why Rogue Farm Corps (RFC) was created. The Oregon-based nonprofit was founded in 2003 by first generation […]
Dirt Works Incubator Farm: Building Land Access and Community in South Carolina
Beginning farmers are finding a new way to get on the land in South Carolina with the help of a local non-profit called Lowcountry Local First (LLF). In 2012, LLF welcomed farmers to South Carolina’s first incubator farm – Dirt Works Incubator, which is located just outside of Charleston. The newest post from Southern Terroir, a monthly blog featuring the unique products and producers from […]
USDA to Release 2012 Census of Ag Data
Every five years, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) takes a hard look at the state of US agriculture by conducting a Census of Agriculture. In a very real way, the census is one of the few opportunities farmers have to tell the USDA about their operations—who they are, and what they need. Today, […]