POLICY :: Farm Bill 2007

I.  WHAT CAN I DO? 

1. With one short call to your Senator you can play a critical role in shaping the Farm Bill to promote economic viability for family-farms, environmental sustainability, and access to local, affordable and healthy food! 
   • Call Senator Dianne Feinstein at (202) 224-3841 and/or send her an email.
   • Call Senator Barbara Boxer at (202) 224-3553 and/or send her an email.

   • Sample Message:

     Dear Senator Feinstein/Boxer,

     Please support a more equitable and sustainable Farm Bill that redirects our tax dollars to support family farms, organic farming, conservation, nutrition programs, and local low-carbon food systems. In particular:

     • Support a win-win approach for sustainability and a farm protection by significantly expanding the Conservation Security, Organic Transition and Research, and Organic Farming Systems Research and Extension Initiative.
     • Strengthen local economies and economic viability of small growers by funding the Direct to Consumer Marketing Assistance, Value-Added Produce Grant Program and establishing the Healthy Food Enterprise Program. These programs assist small growers meet the growing market demand for local farm products.
     • Fight obesity and hunger by mandating funding for Community Food Project Competitive Grants, Farmers’ Market Promotion, and Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition programs. Also, require the USDA to allow public health approaches in Food Stamp Nutrition Education to promote food system based responses to hunger and obesity.
     • Build a new generation of socially diverse and entrepreneurial farmers by fully funding the Outreach and Technical Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development programs.

     Sincerely,

     Name

     City

    

   In addition to the critical role of advocating for policy changes, you can support family farms and sustainable, healthy, local food systems in these ways:

2. Find local products, farmers markets, and restaurants offering local food on the Buy Fresh Buy Local website. 
3. Help your college, school or institution buy local fresh produce by contacting the produce distributor the Growers Collaborative or call Aliza Wasserman at 510-832-4625.
4. Find out about the Family Farm Food Safety Campaign to promote legislation to address food pathogens, such as toxic strains of E.coli, in a manner that preserves biodiversity and family farms.

II.  FARM BILL UPDATE

After a national mobilization of thousands of Americans concerned about our food system, the House version of the Farm Bill passed on July 27, 2007 with modest improvements and many major set backs. Here are some of the impacts of this bill:

• Modest Support for Family Farmers. Thanks to the thousands of calls and letters from supporters like you, the House version of the Farm Bill provided modest increases to support farmers markets, organic production, nutrition and beginning and minority farmers.
• Major Set Backs. The bill cut all mandatory funding for the Community Food Projects Program and Organic Transition – two critical programs that support a transition to organic and local food systems. This means that instead of automatic funding, we will have to fight for funding each and every yea. 
• Farm to School Impact:  Schools will be allowed to use geographic preference to buy local food with federally-funded Child Nutrition programs, and a new loan program will support local processing and distribution to support the Farm to School and Farm to Institution markets.

More details about the Farm Bill policy priorities – and how they compare to the priorities of CAFF and the California Coalition for Food and Farming here. Now that the House version passed, we turn our attention to the Senate and ask them to step up for our food and farming values.

1. www.calfoodandfarming.org
2. ofrf.org/index.html
3. www.msawg.org
4. www.nfu.org/issues/agriculture-programs/farm-bill
5. www.ewg.org/node/22239

III. Our Advocacy History 

1. Sponsor a public education viral marketing film about the Farm Bill. Produced by Free Range Studios - creator of The Meatrix - this humorous and entertaining internet video has the potential to reach millions of Americans. It can be viewed here.
2. JUNE UPDATE
3. CAFF asked all members in or near the districts of Cardoza, Costa, McCarthy, and Baca to fax or phone with comments by June 26th.
4. On June 4th, we asked members to urge their representatives to support H.R. 2364 and S. 1432.
5. On Feb. 16th, CAFF members responded to an Action Alert calling for better inclusion of organic farming in the Farm Bill. To stay up to date, join our Action Alert Network.
6. View letter in PDF format, sent to Cardoza to advocate for a "fair share" for organics.