Tell Senator Stabenow: Support a Fair and Equitable Farm Bill

This year, Congress has an opportunity to level the playing field for farmers and allow us to put healthy, affordable food on the table. By passing a fair and equitable farm bill, we can create thriving communities. The farm bill is legislation that addresses a wide range of needs for eaters and rural farming communities, from nutrition access, farm subsidies, rural development, and more.

This farm bill will be the last time that Michigan’s own Senator Debbie Stabenow is leading the charge before she retires in 2025, and as her constituent, she should hear your voice –– because food is important! Michigan voters should stand united in ensuring that her legacy supports independent farmers and holds greedy corporations accountable.

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Michigan-based agriculture is integral to our state’s economy, and farmers are at the frontlines in delivering us quality, fresh products. But right now, the threats from corporate greed, the climate crisis, and inequality are too difficult to ignore.

Whether you live in Sault Ste. Marie or Saginaw, Michiganders deserve a farm bill that benefits everyone, not just a few wealthy corporations. I urge you as our senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to write a farm bill that seeks to eliminate the rampant inequality we’re seeing in our food system.

Independent farmers and ranchers are in a vulnerable position today, and as someone who eats their products, I feel strongly that they should have the proper tools and resources to thrive. That’s why in the upcoming farm bill, food and farming advocates like myself are calling for including the following reforms:

- The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act to amend the current checkoff program to which all farmers and ranchers are required to contribute, but are often used to promote industry consolidation by the largest corporations. 
- The Farm System Reform Act to strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, mandate country of origin labeling for beef, pork, and dairy products, and place a moratorium on factory farms by the year 2040.  
- The Protecting America's Meatpacking Workers Act to address workplace conditions and safety in meat and poultry facilities, including prohibiting waivers for line speeds and inspections, further require country of origin labeling for beef, pork, dairy, and increase funding for programs which benefit local and regional food systems. 
- More funding for the USDA Local Agriculture Market Program that helps local agricultural producers sell more effectively to their community, creating local jobs in the process.  
- The Justice for Black Farmers Act, which creates an independent civil rights appeal process for USDA complaints, ensures new and current Black farmers have equitable farmland ownership, allows funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities for agricultural training and research, and provides equitable access to USDA technical assistance programs and agricultural markets. 
- More funding for the conservation and energy programs included in the Inflation Reduction Act and better align risk management and commodity programs funding to the adoption of conservation practices. This includes the EQIP Improvement Act of 2023 to direct conservation funding towards small farmers and ranchers who are working to mitigate their environmental impact.  
- Increased baseline funding for the ReConnect Loan and Grant Program broadband program and provide more opportunities for grant funding in underserved areas.
- The passage of the Rebuilt Rural America Act to focus on rural economic development. The bill includes $50 billion in block grant funding for rural communities and Tribal nations for economic, educational, healthcare, and infrastructure investments while establishing a Rural Innovation and Partnership Administration to better serve rural communities when they access federal funding programs.
- Greater funding to produce prescription programs in the farm bill like the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) in order to help solve hunger in rural and urban communities alike.  
- The ability for nutrition assistance users a wider variety of nutritious foods, including the ability to purchase hot and prepared foods at grocery stores. 
- Simplifying the application and reporting requirements for SNAP. 
- Increased support for programs that help expand access to nutritious, local foods, including the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA),  Local Foods for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), and Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program, in addition to increased funding for Local Agricultural Marketing Program (LAMP).

Thank you for your years of leadership on this issue, and I look forward to observing Congress engage with these important reforms in the coming months.

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