Congress has until September 30th to pass a new Farm Bill.

Farmers Union is doing all we can to make sure that bill includes smart policies and programs for rural America.

Under the Conservation Title, WFU advocates to increase funding for farm bill conservation programs, especially those that incentivize soil health and climate-friendly practices. We ask for strong support for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which play a key role in supporting beginning farmers and enrolling land in good stewardship practices. There is a growing need for increased research investments for on-farm climate mitigation and adaptation. Under the Nutrition Title, we urge USDA to protect critical investments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) at a time of rising prices and food insecurity. WFU supports expanding SNAP coverage to include subscriptions to CSAs and on-farm sales of produce. USDA should expand funding and programs for nutrition for the elderly. Under the Energy Title, WFU supports and advocates for further improvements to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Electric co-ops are still highly reliant on fossil fuel electric generation. The clean energy transition for rural utilities is critical at the moment.

Under the Commodities Title, Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) should be improved upon to support family farmers, allowing them a reasonable return for their product to maintain a viable business operation, including upkeep and improvements, while supporting a family household. The program should provide dairy farms with a reasonable opportunity for protection, regardless of size and type of operation, with reduced premiums for those producing under four (4) million pounds of milk per year. We advocate for DMC to include mandatory, meaningful growth management. We also ask for expansion and funding for the Farm and Ranch Assistance Network (FRSAN) to support the mental and behavioral health of farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and our communities.

WFU advocates for the Dairy Revitalization Plan to be added into the 2023 Farm Bill. The plan changes the approach to assisting dairy farmers and would shift the U.S. dairy industry from being reliant on subsidies to balancing supply with the market’s demand, creating a more sustainable dairy industry. The program has the ability to save the federal government money in the farm bill and is a market-based approach to addressing the loss of dairy farms across the country.

Competition and fair markets are growing increasingly important, especially as we continue to experience rapid loss of family farms — which in the long-run destabilizes our food system and threatens food security. WFU would support a separate Competition Title in the Farm Bill. We support Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements as mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill. WFU calls again for Congress to address the demand from U.S. livestock raisers and consumers to label locations of birth, raising, and slaughter of livestock and urges its expansion to the labeling of all food products distributed and sold in the United States. American farmers and consumers deserve fair, clear labeling and are tired of loopholes that allow meat to enter this country and be repackaged with a “Product of the USA” label. WFU supports country-of-origin labeling for all meat and dairy products.

WFU would be supportive of language to strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act to protect family farmers and ranchers. Congress can do this by prohibiting the use of unfair tournament or ranking systems for contract growers, protecting livestock and poultry farmers from retaliation, creating market transparency, and protecting farmers from predatory purchasing practices.

It is vital to ensure beginning, women, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers are supported by all farm programs. WFU supports expanding and funding the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program. We also support the Farm Bill working to address ongoing staffing shortages at USDA and requiring USDA to streamline program applications and procedures