Federal Farm Bill Re-authorization Process & Opportunities
Federal Farm Bill is being re-authorization and there are opportunities to help shape it to support a more sustainable food and farming system.
The Federal Farm Bill is a $90 billion per year bill for food, feed fiber and fuel. Every five years Congress passes a farm bill that determines the rules and playing field for
- what we eat
- how much it costs
- where it is grown, and
- how it is grown
The Farm Bill is up for re-authorization in 2012 but things are moving more quickly than planned in light of the Super-Committee's efforts to trim the federal deficit. There is a chance that the Super-Committee will determine the funding levels for the farm bill or they may take the recommendation from the Ag Committees. It is very confusing and hard to follow....BUT one thing we do know is that there is a HUGE opportunity to help influence the Farm Bill by supporting the Local Farms , Food and Jobs Act. This proposed legislation will be introduced the week of October 24th by Congresswoman Pingree from Maine and Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio. It will help farmers and ranchers engaged in local and regional agriculture by addressing production, aggregation, processing marketing and distribution.
We need to get our Federal representatives from Washington State to co-sponsor this bill. You can download a copy of a two page fact sheet about Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act. You can also download some talking points about the bill.
