The summer’s bounty may feel far away, but even in January, farmers and ranchers are busy – unloading hay for cattle on the snowy range, selecting next summer’s most-delicious tomato seeds, or harvesting fresh grapefruit for your breakfast table.  Here in Washington, DC, we’re busy too:  members of Congress will return in just a few days, and they’ll debate the farm bill this year.

This opportunity to transform federal food and farm policy comes only once every five years.

We’ll need every voice – including yours – to achieve what we want: farm policy that helps family farmers produce healthy food, builds vibrant communities, and sustains the environment.

Our 2012 Farm Bill campaign calls for reforms that will:

• Ensure a sustainable future for American agriculture
• Create jobs and spur economic opportunities
• Equip rural communities for the 21st century
• Level the playing field for producers
• Support innovation for tomorrow’s farmers
• Protect our natural resources

We’ve made great progress already – both our Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act and our Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act are gaining momentum in Congress, and we want the contents of both of these crucial bills included in the 2012 Farm Bill.

What’s next?

Join us! Over the next year, we’ll ask you to speak up and help us fight for family farmers and ensure the future of sustainable agriculture.  You can help us keep the momentum into 2012 – share this alert with your friends and family and ask them to join our campaign for a Farm Bill that supports health, prosperity, and equity for family farmers and for our nation!

Thank you for all that you do,

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Grassroots Team

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act (BFROA) of 2011 has been introduced in Congress, and it’s our chance to break down the barriers to entry that impede new agriculture entrepreneurs from starting a farming business.  Your representative’s support is absolutely crucial to helping us build momentum for this important bill.

BFROA would improve existing credit programs so young and beginning farmers can access the financing necessary to run their businesses.  It would reauthorize important conservation programs that foster new life-long stewards of the land and encourage innovative strategies for land transfer and farm entry.  The bill also invests farm bill dollars in training veterans who want to launch a ranching or farming business.

New farmers can produce our nation’s food and fiber, protect and enhance our natural resources, and contribute to the revitalization of our rural and urban communities.  Will you ask your representatives’ to support this comprehensive and forward-thinking initiative today?

Thank you for taking action to ensure a healthy, safe, and prosperous future!

We previously reported to you that a 2011 Food and Farm Bill appeared imminent.  Days before Thanksgiving the Congressional “Super Committee” failed to reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget cuts.  With that, the 2011 Farm Bill proposal intended for inclusion in the Super Committee’s deficit reduction bill is thus no more.

The now dead 2011 proposal was a mixed bag to be sure.  However, because you made your voice heard, the short-lived 2011 Farm Bill contained some of sustainable agriculture’s conservation, local food, beginning farmer, and organic priorities.

There are many scenarios for what might happen next with the farm bill.  What’s clear is that a more traditional farm bill process will begin early next year.  We now have a prime opportunity to amplify our voices and push for a greener, healthier, and fairer food and farm system for consumers and family farmers!

We need your continued engagement to keep up the momentum and mobilize an even stronger front for the 2012 Food and Farm Bill Campaign.  Thriving family farms and sustainable and organic agriculture are critical to America’s economy, health, and environment.  Pass this link on to your friends and networks, build the sustainable and organic agriculture movement, and stay tuned!

Thank you for all you do!

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Staff

To take action on two of our farm bill priorities, see the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act and Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act.

To support our 2012 Food and Farm Bill Campaign, please make a tax-deductible donation today.  Thank you!

To remind readers of current action items, we summarized and linked three alerts below.

Urgent Action Needed on the Farm Bill

The food and farm bill is moving at such a rapid pace presently, and we want to make sure you are aware of the urgent actions you can take today before it’s too late. If the Agriculture Committee fulfills their goal of completing detailed food and farm bill legislation by this Tuesday November 1st, you only have a few days left to make your voice heard.

Speak out and oppose any farm bill deal that makes big cuts to conservation and nutrition programs, fails to restore funding for local food and beginning farmer programs, or keeps subsidizing commodity production without strict per farm limits.

Exciting food and farm bill reforms and new proposals this week

Beginning Farmers — This week a major new bill was announced in the House and Senate! The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 (H.R. 3236; Senate bill number forthcoming), introduced by Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and Representatives Tim Walz of Minnesota and Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska is a comprehensive bill intended for inclusion in the 2012 Farm Bill that that helps support economic opportunities for young and beginning farmers and ranchers.

This is our chance to ensure food security for future generations and new farming enterprises that can bring jobs and economic renewal to revitalize our nation’s communities. Ask your Two Senators and your Representative to Co-sponsor the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011! We need support from as many legislators as possible – and quickly.

Local Farms/Food – Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine announced that next week they would introduce the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act! This is a second comprehensive bill intended for inclusion in the 2012 Farm Bill – a groundbreaking opportunity for you to support local farmers and ranchers and to ensure your local food system continues to grow. Ask your two Senators and your Representative to co-sponsor the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act!

In the coming days, we will be joining members of Congress and other farm and food advocates in introducing the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act!

The goal of the bill is to advance the development of local and regional farm and food systems from farm to table.  Local food systems not only hold potential for connecting consumers with where their food comes from, but also for boosting farm income, stimulating job creation and economic development, and meeting public health and nutrition goals.

The bill will address the needs of consumers in accessing food from their local communities and the needs of farmers and ranchers producing for local and regional markets, including infrastructure and processing capabilities.  While there are growing “relocalization” efforts and local food economies are expanding across the nation, policy reforms are needed to overcome barriers and more fully capitalize on the new farming opportunities, jobs, and economic growth this sector can deliver.

Ask your two Senators and your Representative to co-sponsor the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act!
We need support from as many legislators as possible – and quickly.
Can we count on you to take action?

Only once every 5 years do you have the opportunity to truly transform our food and farm system through the federal farm bill.

Last week the Agriculture Committee leadership proposed to rewrite the food and farm bill in 2 weeks – yes you heard that right, 2 weeks – this is usually a year plus process and they want to do it in 2 weeks behind closed doors?! This would be the fastest food and farm bill decision-making process in history – 8 days from today – and will be decided without your input unless you act now.

Please act today for a chance you have only once every 5 years to reform our food and farming system and protect our natural resources.

If you care about the health of America’s soil, water, and land; promoting organic practices and conservation; helping a new generation of struggling small and mid-sized farmers get their start; rebuilding local and regional food systems; or developing new markets and healthy food access – now is the time to speak up. If you want to see a healthier, more secure, environmentally sustainable, and prosperous America – now is the time to speak up.

This proposal* would wipe out over 40 percent of the funding increases for conservation and environmental initiatives achieved in the 2002 and 2008 food and farm bills, setting the clock back and “un-greening” the farm bill. Moreover, it is unclear what the proposal would do to the fair and healthy farm and food system programs won in 2008 with your help, but in need of being renewed in the new farm bill. It could potentially wipe out all of those gains as well.

It just takes a minute to call:
•    First check if your Senator and/or Representative sits on the Senate Agriculture or House Agriculture Committee.
•   If they DON’T SIT on these committees – you can still take action, but click here instead.
•          If your Senator or Representative sits on either of these three committees: call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senators’ and Member of Congress’s office: 202-224-3121. Or go to Congress.org and type in your zip code, then click on your Senators and Member of Congress’s name and the contact tab for their phone number.
•    If the line is busy, please leave a brief message on the voicemail.

The Message IF your representative sits on the Agriculture Committee : I am a constituent, calling Senator/Representative _____ to deliver this message (use one or more of these talking points):

•    The proposed farm conservation cuts are too big and should be reduced. In particular, the Conservation Stewardship Program funding should be retained and Wetlands Reserve Program funding should be restored.
•    Farm commodity program reform should include caps on the amount of subsidy any one farm can receive.  Loopholes allowing multiple subsidy payments to single farms should be closed. Conservation requirements should be attached to all forms of revenue and crop insurance subsidies.
•    The farm bill must reinvest at least $1 billion a year in innovative, job-creating programs for rural economic development, local and regional food systems, renewable energy, organic farming, and young and beginning farmers.

Thank you for taking action!

*According to published accounts, the leaders of the Agriculture Committees are proposing cuts of $6.5 billion to conservation programs, $5 billion to nutrition programs, and $15 billion to commodity subsidy programs.  The conservation cuts would be on top of the $2 billion already made by Congress in the appropriations process.

Today, Monday 24th 2011, is Food Day.  Please join the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in answering this call to action.

Healthy, green, fair, and affordable food is important to all Americans.  Today we come together with people across the country who are hosting Food Day events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, and state capitals.

It’s an absolutely critical time to act.  Key decisions in the food and farm bill – a mammoth piece of legislation that sets the rules for the American food system– are being made now. Please speak out today to reform our food and farming system and protect our natural resources.

Many NSAC member organizations are seizing this opportunity to raise awareness about how decisions made in Congress in the next week will impact our environment, health, security, and prosperity for decades to come.

To learn more about Food Day, click here.

Last Monday the Agriculture Committee leadership proposed to rewrite the food and farm bill in 2 weeks  – yes you heard that right, 2 weeks – this is usually a year plus process and they want to do it in 2 weeks?! This would be the fastest food and farm bill decision-making process in history.

Please act today for a chance you have only once every 5 years to reform our food and farming system and protect our natural resources.

If you care about the health of America’s soil, water, and land; promoting organic practices and conservation; helping a new generation of struggling small and mid-sized farmers get their start; rebuilding local and regional food systems; or developing new markets and healthy food access – now is the time to speak up. If you want to see a healthier, more secure, environmentally sustainable, and prosperous America – now is the time to speak up.

This proposal  would wipe out over 40 percent of the funding increases for conservation and environmental initiatives achieved in the 2002 and 2008 food and farm bills, setting the clock back and “un-greening” the farm bill.   Moreover, it is unclear what the proposal would do to the fair and healthy farm and food system programs won in 2008 with your help, but in need of being renewed in the new farm bill.  It could potentially wipe out all of those gains as well.

It just takes a minute to call:
•  First check if your Senator and/or Representative sits on the Senate Agriculture or House Agriculture Committee
•    If your Senator or Representative sits on either of these three committees: call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senators’ and Member of Congress’s office: 202-224-3121. Or go to Congress.org and type in your zip code, then click on your Senators and Member of Congress’s name and the contact tab for their phone number.
•    If the line is busy, please leave a brief message on the voicemail.

The Message: I am a constituent, calling Senator/Representative _____ to deliver this message (use one or more of these talking points):

•    The proposed farm conservation cuts are too big and should be reduced. In particular, the Conservation Stewardship Program funding should be retained and Wetlands Reserve Program funding should be restored.
•    Farm commodity program reform should include caps on the amount of subsidy any one farm can receive.  Loopholes allowing multiple subsidy payments to single farms should be closed. Conservation requirements should be attached to all forms of revenue and crop insurance subsidies.
•    The farm bill must reinvest at least $1 billion a year in innovative, job-creating programs for rural economic development, local and regional food systems, renewable energy, organic farming, and young and beginning farmers.

*According to published accounts, the leaders of the Agriculture Committees are proposing cuts of $6.5 billion to conservation programs, $5 billion to nutrition programs, and $15 billion to commodity subsidy programs.  The conservation cuts would be on top of the $2 billion already made by Congress in the appropriations process.

To get the urgent need for beginning farmers and ranchers recognized in the farm bill, we need to show big support from as many legislators as possible for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act.  If you haven’t yet made a call in response to Tuesday’s action alert, there is still time!

Ask your Two Senators and your Member of Congress to Co-sponsor the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011!

Together we can cultivate a new generation of sustainable farmers and ranchers.

To get the urgent need for beginning farmers and ranchers recognized in the farm bill, we need to show big support from as many legislators as possible for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act. If you haven’t yet made a call in response to Tuesday’s alert, there is still time!

This Act will expand and improve upon proven programs that provide tools and incentives to ensure the effective start-up and success of small and mid-sized family farmers across the country.

Together we can cultivate a new generation of sustainable farmers and ranchers.

Tuesday’s message:

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture called attention to a real worry when he asked: “Why not place the nation’s attention on the need for young farmers on the same plane as police officers and teachers? They are equally important to the future of this country.”

Indeed! Our nation’s farmers are aging and retiring rapidly, and beginning farmers and ranchers face tremendous obstacles entering this field. As a career choice, farming and ranching may be one of the most difficult occupations to enter. To ensure a healthy, safe, and prosperous future America urgently needs new farmers.

Today you have an extraordinary opportunity to launch a new generation of farmers and ranchers in this country!

Ask your Two Senators and your Representative to Co-sponsor the

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011!

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 is a jobs creator that helps new farmers and ranchers get a start. This is a remarkable opportunity to break down barriers to entry and give real support to aspiring farmers across this nation.

Next week the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) will be joining members of Congress and other farm groups in introducing the bill. We need support from as many legislators as possible. Can we count on you to make a call?