YOUR FIGHT FOR A FAIR FARM BILL HEATS UP THE SUMMER
A MESSAGE FOR YOU Our food system, dominated by large agribusiness and focused on factory farms, isn’t the product of a myth- ical free market. It’s been shaped by one of the most important pieces of legisla- tion Congress writes — the Farm Bill. The policies in it touch each of our lives. They determine the foods we grow, the animals we raise, and ultimately what food is on your plate. Rewritten every five years, the Farm Bill offers a vital opportunity to trans- form federal farm and food policy. Instead of catering to agribusiness’ desire for cheap products, this year’s bill should ensure functional, fair markets. A fair Farm Bill would let the people who grow our food earn a decent living, practice envi- ronmental stewardship, and rebuild the infrastructure so everyone can access regionally-produced food. Because of you, Food & Water Watch is building political power to fight for a Farm Bill that will create a resilient, sustainable food system for all of us. Thank you!
What exactly makes a food system fair? Negotiations around this question have sizzled this summer. It’s Farm Bill time. The fight for a fair Farm Bill comes around every five years. This year, it’s happening while corporations are posting record profits and consumers are paying sky-high grocery bills. Because of you, Food & Water Watch continues to fight for food policies that benefit people, not corporate shareholders, and a food system that rewards sustainable and diversified farms, respect consumers, build rural communities, value workers, and treat animals humanely. The Farm Bill Used To Be Good In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed what would become the very first Farm Bill — the Agricultural Adjustment Act. It was part of New Deal policies designed to right the wrongs of the monop- olistic power held by big meatpackers at the time. It included common-sense policies such as fair pricing for crops and livestock, reserves to store grain, and payments to support practices like improving and maintaining soil health. These
Cover: Jon Pope, Campaign Lead with the Food & Water Volunteer Network, petitioning for a fair Farm Bill at a farmers market in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by fellow Campaign Lead, photographer Ken Schles. Mitch Jones Deputy Director, Food & Water Action and Managing Director of Policy and Litigation, Food & Water Watch
1 | FALL 2023
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease