2012 Farm Bill Process is Heating Up

The Community and Regional Food Systems Project supported by the University of Wisconsin- Madison, Michael Fields Agriculture Institute, Growing Power, and UW-Extension recently offered a webinar on the Food and Farm Bill, why it is important to our local food systems, and some related key legislation which has recently been released. I summarize the process below, and suggest the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition as an important resource for follow-up information, resources, and links.

The Farm Bill, now being referred to as the Food and Farm Bill, is a collection of legislation which affects how Americans access, produce, sell and distribute food.  From school nutrition, to grants for beginning farmers, food stamps and farmers markets, the Food and Farm Bill touches all of us in some way.  Legislation included under the Farm Bill is re-authorized (i.e. reviewed and updated) every 4-6 years, with 2012 being the next “scheduled” reauthorization.  However, there are a few other things happening politically which may delay Farm Bill re-authorization next year.  First, 2012 is a presidential election year, which historically has meant its difficult to push through any major legislation.  Secondly, the country is in a budget crisis and congress has commissioned the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (referred to as the “Super Committee”) to identify over $1 trillion in cuts from the Federal budget.  The House and Senate Agriculture Committees have promised to offer $23 billion in cuts from the Farm Bill - this was expected to be finalized November 1st, but as of yesterday, no final Bill has been agreed upon.  

Meanwhile, two other “marker bills” have been released in the past two weeks which hope to be included in the newly authorized Farm Bill legislation. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 increases or sustains funding for young and/or beginning farmers by supporting programs such as: beginning farmer microloans, conservation and environmental quality loans, and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development grant program. This bill was introduced to the House on October 25th by Representatives Tim Waltz (D-MN) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and others are expected to introduce a similar bill to the Senate early next week.  The Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act was introduced November 1st in both branches of congress by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1).  This legislation supports the development of local and regional food systems by focusing on: production, processing, marketing and distribution for both producers and consumers. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition offers a detailed summary bill here: http://sustainableagriculture.net/our-work/local-food-bill/bill-summary-2/

On the Shoulders of Immigrants

A recent article in the New York Times offers a striking view of American culture and food system - “How can there be a labor shortage when nearly one out of every 11 people in the nation are unemployed?”

The H-2A program of the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Service allows for the temporary employment of non-U.S.-citizens for agricultural work.  The program specifically states that it is appropriate when there are not U.S. workers available for the job.  In the current economic situation, it is easy to imagine there would be hundreds of U.S. workers lining up for these jobs, whose minimum wage (under this program) has recently risen to over $10 an hour.  However, as the NYT article portrays, it seems not all  Americans are fit for the job.

Farmers who typically use this program for seasonal harvests cut back on their international hiring in 2011, to allow for U.S. workers to take the jobs.  Unfortunately it didn’t take long for these farmers to realize that there was a reason the H-2A program exists - many U.S. workers are not interested in these jobs. By lunchtime, the group of local farmhands that Colorado farmer John Harold hired had quit - some giving no reason.  Another 25 workers admitted the work was too hard.

It’s not hard to argue that the majority of Americans have grown up far from the farm, many having no concept of the work involved in bringing seeds to life and, ultimately, to the dinner table. Subject to long hours, heavy lifting and weather conditions (corn needs to be harvested, rain or shine!), farm work is not an easy job.  But it’s unsettling to know that even in difficult times many American workers will not put in the effort for a reasonably-paying job to support the food system.

Something needs to change in our country for the farm to be able to attract - and retain - workers. To build local and regional food systems we need farms and farmers.  Stay tuned to this blog for updates on the Farm Bill and other legislation which will make REAL impacts on the quality of food available and accessible for your dinner menu.