Category Archives: Policy

Farm Bureau Urges Support for Fruit, Veggie Farmers


Posted by HFHP Coalition
Cross-posted from American Farm Bureau Federation

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 24, 2013 – Providing new farm bill programs for fruit and vegetable farmers would help ensure a strong agricultural economy and benefit the health of the entire nation, American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President Barry Bushue told Congress today.

“The farm bill helps farmers and ranchers deal with the risks that threaten their ability to produce the food, fiber and fuel we all need,” Bushue testified to the House’s Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture.


Farm Bureau urged lawmakers to extend some programs normally available only to growers of crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat, to farmers who grow specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture/nursery crops and floriculture.

The value of specialty crop production in the U.S. is significant, accounting for approximately 17 percent of the $391 billion in agriculture cash receipts collected in 2012, Bushue noted.

Starting with the next farm bill, Farm Bureau has proposed the extension of a new program – Stacked Income Protection Plan or STAX for short – for growers of the so-called program crops including field corn for livestock, soybeans and wheat, as well as apples, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes and sweet corn.

“The program would be administered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency in a manner consistent with the current crop insurance delivery system,” said Bushue. “It is designed to complement existing crop insurance programs. It does not change any features of existing insurance policies,” he explained.

The five specialty crops Farm Bureau proposed for STAX coverage each rank in the top 13 in value of production for the country; represent at least 2 percent of the nation’s value of production; and are grown in at least 13 states. In addition, insurance is currently available for each of the crops. If STAX is used to cover these five specialty crops, fruit and vegetable farmers in 44 states would benefit.

Farm Bureau also urged Congress to continue some programs for fruit and vegetable growers that were first included in the farm bill in 2008. Those programs include the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program in elementary schools and initiatives that help bring fruits and vegetables produced within a state to local schools.

Other programs for specialty crop farmers Farm Bureau would like to see continued in the next farm bill include outreach and training on Good Agriculture Practices aimed at improving food safety, traceability and productivity; initiatives for pest and plant disease control; and improving direct-to-consumer retail opportunities.

“We encourage the House Agriculture Committee to continue to invest in our specialty crop producers,” concluded Bushue.

Click here for the original post.


A Dime A Day: What Can You Get for a Dime a Day? A Lot Actually


Posted by HFHP Coalition
Cross-posted from the Food Chain Workers Alliance

Sign our petition on SignOn.org telling members of Congress that as a consumer, you’re willing to pay an extra dime a day so that 29 million workers can receive a much needed raise and they should support the Fair Minimum Wage Act. Read the blog post below to learn more!

By Saru Jayaraman and Joann Lo

Big Food companies and their lobbying groups have lied to us many times. They convinced Congress to include tomato paste on pizzas as a vegetable. They say we need industrial, chemical-laden agriculture to feed the world (check out Anna Lappé’s new video Food MythBusters to learn that we don’t). And Big Food has also spread the mythology that if the minimum wage is raised, food will become so expensive that none of us will be able to afford to eat out – or eat at all – again.

Yes, that’s a lie! On this Food Day 2012, our organizations are releasing a new report, A Dime a Day: The Impact of the Miller/Harkin Minimum Wage Proposal on the Price of Food. The proposed Fair Minimum Wage Act, introduced this year by Representative George Miller (D-CA) in the House and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) in the Senate would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.80 per hour over the next 3 years and the tipped minimum wage from $2.13 to 70% of the regular minimum wage.

We found that this increase in the regular minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage would have a minuscule impact on food costs. Even if the entire cost of increased wages is passed on to consumers, grocery store prices would rise, on average, less than half of 1 percent over the three-year phase-in of the new minimum wage and restaurant food prices would also increase by less than one percent per year. This would mean a $0.45 increase on a $20 restaurant bill over three years.

Click here to keep reading.


Statement of Support for a Full and Fair Farm Bill


Posted by HFHP Coalition

On Monday, January 7, the Healthy Farms Healthy People Coalition joined 138 allied organizations from across the country in calling for a full and fair farm bill with the following statement, available here with the full list of signatories:

We, the undersigned, worked diligently and in good faith with the Senate and House Agriculture Committees to complete the 2012 Farm Bill in regular order. When that did not occur, the Committees jointly developed a plan for a one-year extension that, while flawed, had many merits. Like the Agriculture Committee leaders and members, we were shocked to learn that this agreement had been replaced by a biased extension that also disappointed the farmers, fishers, ranchers, Tribal Nations, farmworkers, and rural and urban communities we represent.

Direct payments were continued at the full 2008 levels – despite agreements to reduce them – while disaster response support for producers who have suffered up to three years of extreme drought and heat was eliminated.

In the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills, Congress gradually adopted a set of programs to build the foundation for a new food system. This emerging food system, a small but growing portion of overall US Farm and Food Policy, has the potential to enhance equity for our nation’s diverse producers and farmworkers, secure a future in agriculture for new entry farmers and rural, urban and tribal communities, and provide fresh, local food for all consumers.

The Agriculture Committees’ December 31 agreement continued 2013 support for these critical programs, which ranged from Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers to Beginning Farmer Development, Rural Development, Specialty Crop, Organic and Urban Agriculture, and others, including a deep surprise cut in the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance) education program. All of this funding was zeroed out as the Farm Bill extension was attached to the fiscal cliff bill that has now become law.

We thank the Agriculture Committee leadership and members for their efforts to achieve balance. Beginning immediately, we pledge to work with the incoming Agriculture Committees to complete a full and fair Farm Bill that mitigates disasters, protects natural resources, provides equity and inclusion, constructs a new and economically viable future for agriculture and rural communities, and assures healthy food for all consumers.

Click here for the statement with full list of signatories.


Comprehensive Farm Bill Update


Posted by HFHP Coalition
Cross-posted from AGree

The clock is ticking toward expiration of the provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 farm bill), which will occur on September 30, 2012. The legislative process to enact a new farm bill is underway, but it is not clear if that process will be completed by the time the existing farm bill expires. Stephanie Mercier, former chief economist for the Senate Agriculture Committee, has prepared this brief update which contains background on the budget process, details about the Senate and House versions of the bill, and prospects for completing the 2012 farm bill.

Farm Bill Background Brief by Stephanie Mercier


Legislative Update


Posted by HFHP Coalition

By Gabrielle Serra

Senate Farm Bill

The Senate completed work on the Farm Bill (S. 3240) today, approving final passage by a vote of 64 to 35, after three days of debate on more than 70 amendments.

There were several amendments of interest, including support for rural development and beginning farmers, changes to crop insurance to address soil and wetland conservation compliance as well as subsidy limits for high-income producers, and support for organic agriculture to name a few. The Senate also successfully rejected several harmful amendments to the structure and funding levels of the nutrition programs, which sends a strong bi-partisan message to the House that further cuts than were agreed to during the failed Super Committee process are unacceptable.

Click here for a complete listing of amendments and their respective roll call votes.

House Farm Bill

The House Agriculture Committee announced its mark-up will be on Wednesday July 11. The draft mark is expected to be released the week of July 2.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012 – 10:00 a.m.
1300 Longworth House Office Building
Committee on Agriculture–Business Meeting
RE: To consider the 2012 Farm Bill

Click here to stream live audio and video of the mark-up.

House Agriculture Appropriations

The House will consider the FY2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill under an open rule beginning on Tuesday, June 26 and likely extending through Thursday of next week. It would not be surprising for hundreds of amendments to be offered, with numerous harmful amendments to make severe funding cuts and significant policy changes to core farm, nutrition, and conservation programs. With the uncertain future of the farm bill in the House this year, we expect there to be numerous harmful amendments that may reemerge during the forthcoming farm bill debates as well. Today, the White House issued a Statement of Administration Policy opposing passage because of the deep levels of cuts to discretionary funding and threatening a veto. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.


House Agriculture Appropriations Committee Approves Spending Bill


Posted by HFHP Coalition
By Gabrielle Serra

While all eyes have been focused on the Senate floor and deliberations on the farm bill, there’s another critical action taking place this week that will have significant impact on nutrition, farm income, and food access. The House Appropriations Committee yesterday approved by voice vote a FY 2013 spending bill to provide $19.4 billion in discretionary spending for USDA, FDA and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).  This allocation is about 2 percent less than fiscal 2012 levels, $1.7 billion less than President Obama requested, and about $1.4 billion below spending levels approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 26.

Regarding the nutrition programs, the bill would provide $6.922 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which is an increase of $304 million above FY 2012 levels, but still $119 million less than the President’s request. This may be sufficient to meet caseload depending on the price of food and participation levels over the course of the year. The Senate bill would provide $7.041 billion to WIC, which is equal to the President’s request.

Of particular significance, the Committee approved an amendment offered by Rep. Simpson (R-ID) to allow white potatoes to be eligible for purchase as part of WIC food packages. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote. Further, the bill specifies that USDA cannot “exclude or restrict the eligibility of any variety of fresh, whole, or cut vegetables, except for vegetables with added sugars, fats, or oils, from being provided as supplemental foods under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.” This amendment was strongly opposed by Rep. DeLauro (D-CT) for undermining the scientific basis for determining the supplemental foods that are allowable in the program to meet specific nutritional deficiencies for specific vulnerable populations.

Congress has historically not weighed in on the specific foods that may be allowable in the program. Currently, the USDA provides WIC food packages that closely reflect rigorous scientific recommendations provided by the National Academies of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM). The Institute of Medicine did not recommend white potatoes in the WIC food packages because these vegetables are currently consumed at least in recommended amounts.

The House will bring up the Agriculture Appropriations bill on the floor next week. To date, the Senate has not set a timeline for when they will bring up their respective bill.


Healthy Farms, Healthy People Letter to Senate Leadership


Posted by HFHP Coalition

Healthy Farms, Healthy People Coalition Steering Committee member organizations sent a letter to Senate Leadership, along with Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts of the Agriculture Committee urging an agreement to move forward with consideration of the farm bill. Click below to read  or download the letter.

Healthy Farms, Healthy People Letter to Senate Leadership


Last Chance to Weigh in on the Coalition’s Priorities!


Posted by HFHP Coalition

We are excited to enter the final phase of determining the Coalition’s priorities. We still want to hear from you as we decide what our core areas of focus and specific priorities will be.

Click here to take the final survey, and please forward it to anyone whose perspective you think should be represented in this process.

We are accepting survey responses through Monday, June 11th. 

The survey should take about 10 – 15 minutes.          

Thank you to everyone who has helped so far to shape these priorities by providing your input. In this iterative survey process we have honed our priorities based on your feedback, and now it’s now time to vote for the priority issues that you think would benefit from the Coalition’s leadership.   


America needs a farm bill that works


Posted by HFHP Coalition

OP-ED from the Los Angeles Times

By Dan Imhoff and Michael Dimock

In 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the very first farm bill, formally called the Agricultural Adjustment Act, he told the nation that “an unprecedented condition calls for the trial of new means to rescue agriculture.” That legislation, passed as the country struggled to emerge from the Depression, was visionary in the way it employed agricultural policy to address significant national issues, including rural poverty and hunger.

It may not seem obvious while standing in the aisles of a modern grocery store, but the country today faces another food and farming crisis. Forty-six million people — that is, 1 out of 7 Americans — signed up for food stamps in 2012. Despite some of the highest commodity prices in history, the nation’s rural regions are falling deeper into poverty. In 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17.8% of those living in rural counties fell under the poverty line. Unemployment in Fresno County, the nation’s top agricultural producing county, stood at 17.4% in March of this year. Industrial agriculture has become a leading cause of soil and water pollution. In California, for example, fertilizer and manure pollution have so contaminated the Salinas and lower San Joaquin valleys that the groundwater will be undrinkable for the next 30 to 50 years.

After 80 years, the time has come to rescue agriculture from the farm bill — and to improve the health of Americans in the bargain.

Click here to read full article.


Farm Bill Update


Posted by HFHP Coalition

The Farm Bill was introduced to the Senate Floor by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on Tuesday, June 5. The Senate is expected to proceed with a cloture vote on Thursday to begin debate on the bill. While Chairwoman Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member Roberts (R-KS) helped to shepherd legislation through Committee in a matter of hours, debate on the bill and forthcoming amendments may take up to two or three weeks. Details on specific amendments that will be offered are still pending. Chairwoman Stabenow has voiced confidence that she has the necessary votes to pass this legislation off the floor.

Chairman Lucas (R-OK) of the House Agriculture Committee continues to work toward drafting his farm bill mark with the intent of having it ready later in June, perhaps the week of June 18. Chairman Lucas is not expected to put forward language until the Senate passes Chairwoman Stabenow’s bill off the floor.

The Healthy Farms, Healthy People Coalition will be monitoring developments. Please stay tuned for more information.

If you would like to get involved, we encourage you to learn about the issues that advocates are currently bringing to the attention of the public and legislators.

American Public Health Association

Community Food Security Coalition

Healthy Food Action

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Rural Coalition