In order to meet the serious challenges of the 21st century, U.S. agricultural policy in the farm bill must shift from its focus of creating cheap commodities and artificially propping up income for farmers, toward implementing best agricultural practices for sustainable and organic production methods.
Fortunately, while much of mainstream agriculture has focused on an increasing reliance on chemicals and biotech engineered seeds, over the past 40 years, a new breed of farmer has developed highly sophisticated ways of farming with nature that promote soil health, higher nutrient value of food and increased farm income.
If Congress and the current administration are serious about the health of America’s citizens, our environment and the economic viability of independently owned family farms, they will:
• Implement a $25 billion plan to transition to organic food and farming production, to make sure that 75% of U.S. farms are U.S.D.A. organic certified by 2025.
• Feed organic food to all children enrolled in public school lunch programs by the year 2020.
• Pass a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Bill to place a million new farmers on the land by 2020.
• Link conservation compliance with government-subsidized insurance programs and create a cutoff so each farm receives government funds for land only up to 1,000 acres.
The implementation of these proposals will ensure that our nation’s children are fed the healthiest meals, our environment is preserved for future generations and farmers make a sustainable living.
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