Get the inside scoop on the Farm Bill with farmbillprimer.org
Congressional voting records. Appropriation amounts. More acronyms than you can shake a scuffle hoe at. Starting to feel overwhelmed already by the massive amount of data surrounding the Farm Bill? Sometimes when we’re feeling swamped, we turn to FarmBillPrimer.org, a great resource for data, maps, and analysis. This week we scored an interview with Marjorie Roswell, […]
A Brief History of the 2012 Farm Bill
We get a lot of questions about exactly what went down with the Farm Bill last year. (Honestly, it was head-spinning confusion even for seasoned policy experts.) To help shed a little light, here’s a play-by-play recap: For starters, what is the Farm Bill and how does it affect me? The Farm Bill is an […]
A possible fix to stranded farm bill programs (and sequestration) announced in the senate
Late last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released the Senate Democrats’ proposal to avoid the upcoming sequestration through spending cuts and revenue increases. Included in this “American Family Economic Protection Act” proposal were a number of changes to USDA spending, many addressing shortcomings of the terrible Farm Bill extension passed in early January. […]
For Better or Worse, a Farm Bill – A Quick Wrap-up
At long last, the Farm Bill race of 2012 is over. The past week has been a flurry of activity in Congress, as the looming fiscal cliff spurred Washington to action. Despite the public attention on the Farm Bill over the past year, the conclusion to the long drama came not in a fiery showdown […]
On New Years Day, an End to the 2012 Farm Bill Season
Well, the Farm Bill race of 2012 is over, although the new bill is only a nine-month extension tacked onto the far larger fiscal cliff bill. The final vote last night in the house was 257-167, with support from a large majority of Democrats and 36% support from Republicans. In the end, the landslide of […]
A Sharp Twist in Farm Bill 2012/2013
The great Farm Bill saga of 2012/2013 took a major turn for the worse last night as the Senate passed a new Farm Bill extension. In a rapid about-face, the Senate passed a nine-month Farm Bill extension that continues prominently wasteful policies from the last bill and ignores a slew of conservation and beginning farmer […]
Cast Your Vote for a Fair Farm Bill!
Yes, the presidential election is over. But that doesn’t mean we’re done in DC for the fight for beginning farmers. Now that your vote was counted in the political races, it’s time to cast another vote, this one for a better Farm Bill that supports beginning farmers. Sign on to the Young Farmers/National Sustainable Agriculture […]
Stabenow and Cantor Express Support for a Farm Bill this Fall
Last week, Senator Debbie Stabenow, head of the US Senate Agriculture Committee, and House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor both firmly expressed that a Farm Bill would be passed in the lame-duck session after the election. During a campaign stop on Boise, ID, Cantor said that he had delayed action before the recess, which began […]
Team Up with NYFC for a Better Farm Bill
It seems like lately it’s been all trick and no treat when it comes to Congress’ advocacy for farmers! The Farm Bill expired nearly a month ago and Congress is now on recess until after the election. What can we do? NYFC has teamed up with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition to generate a massive […]
The Farm Bill's Real Impact – BFRDP Helps Train the Next Generation
My name is Sophie Ackoff, I have been an apprentice at Glynwood Farm. Like so many other beginning farmers today, I don’t come from a farming family and I have no land or agricultural skills to inherit from my parents. I believe that the government needs to support beginning farmers and shouldn’t short-change farmer training […]