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Pesticide Action Network

Pesticide Action Network

A better Food & Farm Bill – now!

Congress is hard at work writing the 2012 Farm Bill, and people across the country are calling for food and farming policy that creates jobs, invests in farmers and ensures healthy food is widely available.

Farm Bills happen twice a decade, and they are a confusing mess every time. But you don’t need to be an expert to understand that we deserve a Food and Farm Bill that uses tax-payer moneys wisely — not to prop up a bloated and broken model of industrial agriculture, but to support food and farming systems that feed the future.

Our partner organization, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), recently released its comprehensive platform for the 2012 Farm Bill: Farming for the Future. NSAC has also created a powerful and succinct citizen Farm Bill platform — which tens of thousands are already endorsing — urging Congress to create a Food and Farm Bill that:

  • Creates jobs & spurs economic growth;
  • Invests in the next generation of farmers;
  • Makes healthy food widely available to all;
  • Protects our natural resources & helps farmers care for their land; and
  • Reforms outdated subsidies & restores fiscal responsibility in farm policy.

Next steps

The Senate Agriculture Committee is on track to meet its timeline for marking up a Farm Bill later this month, and the next two weeks are critical in the multi-step process.

The Chairwoman plans to release her draft – or "mark" – potentially as early as the end of next week. And before she does so, Senators on the Agriculture Committee will meet privately to view the draft and voice their priorities and concerns. Depending on how that meeting goes, and whether there is general buy-in for the contours of the bill, a draft Farm Bill may be released as early as late next week.

We are following the process closely, and will keep you updated along the way. Stay tuned!

Take Action » In the mean time, Congress needs to know we're paying attention. Join us in endorsing sane agricultural policy that supports family farmers and feeds the future. Sign onto the citizen’s Food and Farm Bill platform today.

Pesticide Action Network

Pesticide Action Network

Pesticide Action Network is dedicated to advancing alternatives to pesticides worldwide. Follow @pesticideaction

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