What should the 2012 FarmI Bill look like, anyway?
It should Invest in the Future of Healthy Farms, Food and People
- Harness the economic power of local and organic food and small businesses 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 and 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 and Level the Playing Field
- Eliminate wasteful 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
For more information on the Farm Bill, and how you can help farmers: www.youngfarmers.org and www.FarmAid.org
National Young Farmers’ Coalition (NYFC) is group of young and sustainable farmers organizing for our collective success: we’re defining the issues that beginning farmers face, fighting for the policy change that we need, and bringing farmers together in person and online to learn, share and build a stronger community. NYFC is farmer-led, a partnership between young farmers and innovative beginning farmer service providers, and is fiscally sponsored by the Open Space Institute, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
