Rural Coalition, NFFC lead letter on farm bill passage
October 16, 2013 | 03:40 PM
More than 400 groups around the country organized by the Rural Coalition and the National Family Farm Coalition pledged Tuesday to campaign for passage of a farm bill this year.
The groups called for no cuts to nutrition programs, full funding for conservation programs, farm program payment limits, a national sod-saver bill, and conservation compliance re-linked to crop insurance.
The groups also emphasized that they would insist Congress include “stranded” programs that support beginning, socially disadvantaged, tribal, women, and veteran farmers and ranchers; rural economic development and job creation; renewable energy; fruit and vegetable production; organic farmers; local and regional food systems; farmers markets; healthy food access; and community food and urban agriculture projects.
The coalition is known as Getting Our Act Together (GOAT).
“It’s inconceivable that our federal and state elected officials, with few exceptions, seem unconcerned and unmoved by the plight of our farming, rural and agriculture sector plight,” said Rudy Arredondo, president and CEO for the National Latino Farmers & Ranchers, a member of the coalition, said in a news release. “We need and will not stop until we have a full, fair and just farm bill!”
The groups called for no cuts to nutrition programs, full funding for conservation programs, farm program payment limits, a national sod-saver bill, and conservation compliance re-linked to crop insurance.
The groups also emphasized that they would insist Congress include “stranded” programs that support beginning, socially disadvantaged, tribal, women, and veteran farmers and ranchers; rural economic development and job creation; renewable energy; fruit and vegetable production; organic farmers; local and regional food systems; farmers markets; healthy food access; and community food and urban agriculture projects.
The coalition is known as Getting Our Act Together (GOAT).
“It’s inconceivable that our federal and state elected officials, with few exceptions, seem unconcerned and unmoved by the plight of our farming, rural and agriculture sector plight,” said Rudy Arredondo, president and CEO for the National Latino Farmers & Ranchers, a member of the coalition, said in a news release. “We need and will not stop until we have a full, fair and just farm bill!”
