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Advocating for a Farm Bill for People & the Land in D.C.

By Amanda Koehler
April 1, 2024

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The Federal Farm Bill is the single most important piece of legislation shaping our farm and food system. It spends over $1.5 trillion on nutrition programs, crop insurance, commodity programs, conservation programs, and more. The next Farm Bill, which could still be passed this spring or by early summer, impacts each and every one of our lives — regardless of your zip code or role in the farm and food system.

That’s why it’s so important for the Land Stewardship Project to bring emerging, small, and mid-sized farmers to Washington, D.C., to share their stories and advocate for LSP’s Farm Bill priorities. About two weeks ago, two delegations of LSP farmers and organizers headed to D.C. to do just that, focused specifically on consolidation and land access issues.

Keep reading to learn more and take action!

During the first half of the week, LSP farmer-members Bryan Simon, LSP policy organizer Matthew Sheets, and I participated in a Campaign for Family Farms & the Environment fly-in. We were joined by other farmers and organizers from the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Dakota Rural Action, Food & Water Watch, and the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy in D.C. to meet with the USDA Rural Development Office, the Natural Resources Conservation Service Central Region Conservationist, the offices of Reps. Angie Craig and Michelle Fischbach, and the office of Sen. Tina Smith.

We shared our stories about consolidation and competition, particularly within the dairy and livestock industries. According to the 2022 Ag Census, Minnesota alone lost 40% of our dairy farms between 2017 and 2022 and the average dairy herd grew by 67%. It’s critical that the next Farm Bill addresses consolidation head on, rather than entrenching our farm economy further into the trend of fewer, larger operations.

Want to get more involved with LSP’s Animal Ag Campaign? Join us tomorrow night (April 2) for a Campaign Action Meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom! Learn more and register here.

The second half of the week, LSP farmer-members Funwi Tita and Eleanor Babcock-Jensen, LSP aspiring farmer-member and farmworker Taylor Olsen, along with LSP land access organizer Whitney Terrill and I, participated in a National Young Farmers Coalition fly-in alongside the Midwest Farmers of Color Collective. Our Minnesota team met with Senator Tina Smith and her staff, Senator Amy Klobuchar and her staff, and the offices of Reps. Angie Craig, Tom Emmer, Brad Finstad, Betty McCollum, and Ilhan Omar.

We shared our stories about the challenges beginning and emerging farmers are facing in accessing land, capital, and markets. Our farm and food system is more resilient and just with more farmers stewarding the land and growing food for their communities, but so many people who want to farm are facing significant barriers to getting established and sustaining their businesses.

Want to get more involved with LSP’s Land Access & Emerging Farmers Campaign? Join us on Wednesday, April 17 for a Campaign Action Meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom! Learn more and register here.

LSP policy manager Amanda Koehler can be reached via e-mail.

Category: Blog
Tags: Campaign for Family Farms & the Environment fly-in • consolidation • emerging farmers • Farm Bill • federal ag policy • land access • LASO Act • National Young Farmers Coalition

Upcoming Events

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May 2025

Thursday May 15

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
MN Women in Conservation
Thursday May 15
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
MN Women in Conservation
42652 County Rd 7, Belview, MN 56214, USA

NOTE: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT
 
Come out and play with MNWiC and Renville County Soil and Water Conservation District. Tour Iverson Tree Farm, learn from other women land stewards, and meet local Master Gardeners and conservation professionals who can help with your own land dreams.
 
For details and to register, click here.
 
 

Saturday May 17

11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Community Plant & Seed Swap
Saturday May 17
11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Community Plant & Seed Swap
Lift Bridge Brewing, 1900 Tower Dr W, Stillwater, MN 55082, USA

Lift Bridge Brewing Co. and Sustainable Farming Association are partnering to host a free seed and plant swap and fundraiser at Lift Bridge’s taproom in Stillwater. Vendor opportunities available. 
 
Details here.

Tuesday May 20

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Webinar on Agrivoltaics: Sheep Solar Grazing Producer Panel
Tuesday May 20
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Webinar on Agrivoltaics: Sheep Solar Grazing Producer Panel
Zoom Virtual

Participants will hear from sheep producers about their experiences, along with the benefits and challenges of grazing sheep under solar panels. This webinar is part of a series about cattle and sheep solar grazing and growing forages or grain crops under solar panels.
 
For details and to register, click here.

Thursday May 29

9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Thursday May 29
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Zoom Online

Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing Best Practices to Get Your Farm’s Next Customer is designed to help farmers grow their customer base by sharpening their storytelling and digital marketing skills—whether they’re selling through farmers’ markets, CSAs, or direct-to-retail. This Greener Pastures and Meet the Minnesota Makers workshop will cover how websites and social media can actually convert viewers into buyers to creating content that builds community loyalty.

This workshop is also designed for ag educators, professionals, and partner organizational staff who support farmers directly and want to be well-versed on the marketing best practices to support direct-to-consumer farms. 

For details and to register, click here.

Saturday May 31

10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
Saturday May 31
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
872 320th Ave, Frederic, WI 54837, USA

The NW Wisconsin Graziers Network, River Country RC&Dand UW-Madison Extension invite you to a multi-species pasture walk hosted by JohnsonFamily Pastures LLC. The farm is located five miles east of Frederic in PolkCounty. This educational event willemphasize direct marketing, multi-species grazing, part-time family agricultureand silvopasture development. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

TheJohnson Family Pastures farm is home to Chris and Tamara Johnson and their twochildren. They raise grass-fed beef, silvopastured goats, and recently raised anumber of other species. The farm consists of about 160 acres of gently rollingpastures, silvopasture, and forest. Use of both temporary polybraid fencing andhigh tensile permanent fences allow for rotational grazing of small ruminants andout-wintering of beef cattle. Use of long-term farm transition strategies, cost-shareprograms, silvopasture development with goats, regenerative grazing, cattlehandling facility and bale grazing will be discussed along with answering anyand all questions from pasture walk participants.

An extensive and diversified direct marketing programhas been developed by Tamara and Chris that has included farmer markets, e-maillists, newsletters, website ordering, on-farm freezer storage, and other strategiesand tools to support direct sales and services for their customers.  Come and learn all about their successfulapproach.

For more information,contact Chris Johnson at 920-960-4475 or Lynn Johnson 715-225-9882 at NW Graziers.

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