Farmers Travel to D.C. to Support Beginning Farmer Provisions & Passage of the Farm Bill 

Sacred Heart Beginning Farmer Meets with
U.S.  House Ag Committee Chair Collin Peterson

CONTACT: Adam Warthesen, Land Stewardship Project (LSP), 612-722-6377
Chad Kingstrom, farmer and LSP member, 612-306-9668

1/31/08
SACRED HEART, Minn.— Sacred Heart area farmer and Land Stewardship Project member Chad Kingstrom earlier this week traveled to Washington, D.C., with over a dozen other beginning farmers from across the nation to meet with likely House-Senate Farm Bill conferees. Kingstrom and the other fly-in participants pushed for strong beginning farmer provisions in the final Farm Bill, which is being hammered out during the next several weeks. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill include beginning farmer measures, but fly-in participants focused on securing adequate funding and reducing barriers that might exclude new farmers and ranchers from participating in Farm Bill programs.

“Our visits keyed in on securing funding for beginning farmer training, education and mentoring efforts,” said Kingstrom, who operates a tree farm on his family’s land near Sacred Heart.

Kingstrom, who graduated from the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings program in 2004, believes Congress should act now and reach out to support beginning farmers.

 “With the opportunities in agriculture today, like the growth in organics, alternative crops and local food markets, investing resources to support beginning farmers can provide great dividends for our rural communities and economy,” he said.  “We are talking about smart, cost effective start-up support and incentives, not dependence programs.” 

Fly-in participants also focused on policies that provide access to conservation programs for beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged producers, as well as policies and funding to support asset building programs that help beginning farmers establish a pattern of savings and build equity in new farming operations. 

During the fly-in, farmers held 20 visits with policymakers over two days.  One of the highlights was a meeting with House Agriculture Chair Collin Peterson (D-MN), who has helped champion beginning farmer and rancher measures in the House.

“I am proud of the provisions that we were able to include in the House version of the Farm Bill to help beginning farmers and ranchers,” said Peterson. “I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and organizations like the Land Stewardship Project to expand opportunities for the next generation of America’s family farmers.”

The House bill passed in July 2007 included $15 million in dedicated money for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, which supports community-led beginning farmer training programs. The Senate included the same provision in its December 2007 bill, but it lacked mandatory funding. 

While a House-Senate Farm Bill conference committee has not been scheduled, negotiations over funding measures and policy continue between Congressional leaders and the Bush Administration. Action is expected before the current 2002 Farm Bill extension concludes in March.

“This was my first time to Washington, D.C., and it was a lot to take in, but I really think our visits made a difference,” said Kingstrom, “The Land Stewardship Project does a good job in connecting people and their real-life experiences with policymakers who are making decisions about the programs and priorities that will affect our lives.” 

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