It's time for a better Farm Bill.
Now.

As you may know, the Farm Bill has officially expired. What happens in the months ahead is critical to ensuring that we get a Farm Bill that works for rural communities.

Join the Center for Rural Affairs, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and over 50 other partnering organizations to demand Congress pass the right Farm Bill, right now.


Dear Congress,

For the sake of our nation’s health, our farmers, and our natural resources, we need you to do your job. We need a better Farm Bill, and we need it this year! An equitable, sustainable, 21st century Farm Bill must:

o Invest in the future of healthy farms, food & people
o Protect our precious air, soil & water
o Reform farm subsidies & level the playing field
o Invest in rural economic development

Signed,
Optional Member Code

What should the 2012 Farm Bill look like, anyway?

It should INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF HEALTHY FARMS, FOOD & PEOPLE

  • Harness the economic power of small businesses and local and organic food to strengthen rural and urban communities and create jobs
  • Grow the next generation of American farmers by providing the tools, training, and access to capital that beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers need to succeed
  • Ensure access to fresh, healthy food for all – including those in need and in our schools

It should PROTECT OUR PRECIOUS AIR, SOIL & WATER

  • Reward farmers for their environmental stewardship by fully funding farm conservation programs
  • Do not raid long-term conservation efforts to pay for short-term disaster fixes
  • Link federal crop insurance support to conservation of wetlands and fragile soils

It should REFORM FARM SUBSIDIES & LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD

  • End unnecessary direct payments
  • Target support to working farm families by closing loopholes that benefit mega-farms and millionaire investors
  • Cap farm and crop insurance subsidies to improve fiscal responsibility

It should INVEST IN RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

  • Encourage producers to earn more and expand their businesses through the Value Added Producer Grants Program
  • Provide loans and training to small businesses through the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program

---

Our Partners

  • California FarmLink
  • Carolina Farm Stewardship Alliance
  • C.A.S.A del Llano
  • Center for Social Inclusion
  • Community Alliance with Family Farmers
  • Community Food and Justice Coalition
  • Dakota Rural Action
  • Fair Food Network
  • Farm Aid
  • Farmers Market Coalition
  • Fay-Penn Economic Development Council
  • Florida Organic Growers
  • Friends of Family Farmers
  • Georgia Organics
  • GreenBEAN Delivery
  • Green for All
  • Hmong National Development, Inc. 
  • Illinois Stewardship Alliance
  • Land Stewardship Project
  • Live Real
  • Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
  • National Catholic Rural Life Conference
  • National Center for Appropriate Technology
  • National Organic Coalition
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association - Interstate Council
  • Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
  • Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society
  • Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides
  • Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
  • Organic Farming Research Foundation
  • Organic Valley
  • Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
  • Pesticide Action Network North America
  • Roots of Change
  • Real Food Challenge
  • Slow Food USA
  • Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
  • Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota
  • Tilth Producers of Washington
  • Union of Concerned Scientists Food and Environment Program
  • Virginia Association for Biological Farming
  • Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network
  • Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
  • Wild Farm Alliance