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.