shapes what our food 
system looks like.

The federal Farm Bill 

The current Farm Bill expires in September 2023. This means we have a twice-in-a-decade opportunity to advocate for a new Farm Bill that invests in environmental conservation, advances food justice, and confronts climate change.

The Farm Bill impacts everyone

The Farm Bill impacts farmers

Small, diversified farms can benefit from Farm Bill (if they use it)

The Farm Bill contains vital conservation programs – like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). But it needs to do more. The next Farm Bill presents the best opportunity to compensate farmers for adopting sustainable practices. It should also invest in climate resilience to keep farms in business and ensure our food supply is secure.

The Farm Bill empowers farmers  to teach each other

The Farm Bill recognizes that farmers learn best from other farmers. Many farmer mentorship programs exist thanks to Farm Bill dollars. And increasingly, the USDA is looking to farmers to provide technical assistance to their peers and, importantly, pay farmers to do that critical work. Programs like Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) provide additional pathways for farmers to share field-tested ideas with each other.

The Farm Bill funds conservation & climate resilience programs

We can’t effectively advocate for more funding and better services for small and diversified farms if these farms don’t use existing Farm Bill programs. If you're a farmer, you should contact your local USDA service centers to see what Farm Bill programs you're eligible for. You can get money for cover crops, money for wholesale readiness, money for training and technical assistance, money for [insert dream farm project here].

The Farm Bill helps farmers 
grow their businesses

The Farm Bill offers a whole slew of initiatives through the Local Agriculture Market Program that helps farmers grow their businesses and strengthen local and regional food systems. The Farm Bill also funds loans intended to meet the unique needs of farmers. However, not only have farmers of color historically had limited access to these loans, they have been discriminated against. The next Farm Bill should invest more in local food systems and ensure equitable access to funding.

Many of the Farm Bill's programs were created to support farmers through financial incentives and technical assistance. Today, the Farm Bill invests mostly in large farms that grow commodity crops, like corn and soybeans. Small- and medium-scale farms, farms that grow diverse crops, farms that improve and conserve natural resources, and farmers of color have received much less support. But we can change that.

How the Farm Bill impacts farmers

The Farm Bill affects what we eat and what products we buy

Today, the Farm Bill mostly supports large farms that grow a limited number of products in mass quantities. The more the Farm Bill supports a wide variety of farms, the more everyone gets to enjoy a wider variety of foods, flowers, and fibers.

The Farm Bill impacts our air & water

The Farm Bill impacts whether farms make air and water cleaner or more polluted. Communities located near a lot of farms or downstream from farms suffer the most from destructive farming practices that leach toxins into the environment. Advocating for a better Farm Bill keeps us all safer and healthier.

The Farm Bill funds essential 
nutrition programs

From SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to Senior FMNP (Farmers Market Nutrition Program) checks, the Farm Bill is the strongest tool we have to make food affordable and accessible. What’s more, these dollars bolster the bottom line of local small businesses, including farms.

The Farm Bill influences whether local food systems can thrive

Investments that help to connect the dots between producers and local customers offer significant social and economic benefits to both rural and urban communities. Farm Bill programs can help farmers connect directly with their customers, develop new products, and build needed storage and transportation infrastructure.

The Farm Bill strengthens regional food systems and connects farmers to customers

The Farm Bill has a lot of influence over the types of farms that thrive, and therefore the types of food, flowers, and fibers that everyone gets to enjoy. It also has a direct impact on public health and nutrition. 

How the Farm Bill impacts everyone

Build a Farm Bill that works for you

Learn what Farm Bill programs can benefit your farm. 

STEP 01: Get to know
Farm Bill programs

Farmers voices are critical to influencing the Farm Bill. Share your dreams for your
farm and the U.S. food system.

STEP 02: Sign up for
Farm Bill action alerts

Learn more about Farm Bill programs

Farm Bill programs are complicated, and working with the USDA often feels overwhelming. These resources were designed to familiarize farmers with existing programs and provide some helpful first steps. They offer guidance for farmers who are new to the USDA or who want to deepen their relationship with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), or other agencies.

Are you ready to see what priorities on your farm can be #fundedbyFarmBill?

#fundedbyFarmBill farmer stories

When small, sustainable farms take advantage of Farm Bill funding, incredible things happen. The more farms like these apply to and use Farm Bill programs, the more they can influence future Farm Bills. See how farms that have been #fundedbyFarmBill were able to better support their own farm business as well as their farmer peers and local communities.

Plowshare Farms used the Farm Bill to test an innovative guineafowl pest control system. 

Teddy
Plowshare Farms
@plowsharefarms

Read full Story

Fallen Aspen Farm used the Farm Bill to improve their infrastructure and better manage their pastures.

Jake + Desiree
Fallen Aspen Farm
@fallenaspenfarm

The Farm Bill is helping Katydid Hill get their herbal teas out to more people.

Katelyn + Ben
Katydid Hill Farm @katydidhill

Read full Story

Read full Story

Build a Farm Bill that works for you

Learn what Farm Bill programs can benefit your farm. 

STEP 01: Get to know Farm Bill programs

Farmers voices are critical to influencing the Farm Bill. Share your dreams for your
farm and the U.S. food system.

STEP 02: Sign up for
Farm Bill action alerts