Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Where Vertical Farming and Affordable Housing Can Grow Together
Some vertical farms grow greens in old warehouses, former steel mills, or other sites set apart from the heart of cities. But a new series of projects will build multistory greenhouses directly inside affordable housing developments
Some vertical farms grow greens in old warehouses, former steel mills, or other sites set apart from the heart of cities. But a new series of projects will build multistory greenhouses directly inside affordable housing developments.
“Bringing the farm back to the city center can have a lot of benefits,” says Nona Yehia, CEO of Vertical Harvest, a company that will soon break ground on a new building in Westbrook, ME, that combines a vertical farm with affordable housing. Similar developments will follow in Chicago and in Philadelphia, where a farm-plus-housing will be built in the Tioga District, an opportunity zone.
Inside each building, the ground level will offer community access, while the greenhouse fills the second, third, and fourth floors, covering 70,000 square feet and growing around a million pounds of produce a year. (The amount of housing varies by site; in Maine, there will be only 15 units of housing, though the project will create 50 new jobs.)
In Chicago, there may be a community kitchen on the first level. In each location, residents will be able to buy fresh produce on-site; Vertical Harvest also plans to let others in the neighborhood buy greens directly from the farm. While it will sell to supermarkets, restaurants, hospitals, and other large customers, it also plans to subsidize 10% to 15% of its harvest for local food pantries and other community organizations.
“By creating a large-scale farm in a food desert, we are creating a large source of healthy, locally grown food 365 days a year,” Yehia says.
How The Farm Bill Impacts Greenhouse And Indoor Growers
December 28, 2018
Photo taken by Allison Kopf
When President Trump signed the Farm Bill last week, it was the first time that indoor farmers have been included in the act’s provisions since its birth in 1933.
The Farm Bill, which will allocate $867 billion of federal money over the next ten years came about in reaction to the dust bowl years of the 1930s. That era of climate variability and unsustainable farming techniques left American farmers vulnerable, which the first farm bill attempted to help with. Today, facing our own era of climate change, Congress has begun to take an interest in how it can help indoor farmers. Here are four parts of the bill that we’re really excited about:
Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Section 12302 of the bill opens a new office to aid urban and indoor farmers. The newly created Office of Urban Agricultural and Innovative Production will “ encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices.”
We’ll have to wait and see what that encouragement and promotion actually means, but it’s certainly a plus for indoor and greenhouse growers to have a federal office learning where it can have the government add value to the indoor ecosystem.
Micro-Grants
Good news for farmers in food insecure places: the government wants to help. In order to feed citizens with real, healthy foods, provision 12616 of the bill authorizes small grants for farmers who want to build hydroponic and aeroponic farms.
A Census
In order to get a grasp on the indoor farming landscape, the government will conduct a census of existing indoor, rooftop, greenhouse, and hydroponic farming operations in both urban and rural areas.
This is great news. We’ve been conducting our own survey for a few years now since the ag census previously didn’t do much for highlighting indoor growers. We’re excited to see where this goes.
Help From the Government
Information from that census will help the government aid farmers in a couple ways under section 11122 of the bill. One of them is that the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation will research insurance plans to help farmers, particularly those in small-scale production to offer policies that are most beneficial. Currently, the government offers subsidized insurance for farmers in case of drought or hail or if prices fall. The primary crops covered under insurance are the most basic staples of American agriculture, such as wheat and corn. For indoor farms, the elements would not affect yield as they would outside, but there are still plenty of variables, including the price of crops, the cost of electricity, and others, which could benefit from some type of federal insurance.
We believe that greenhouse and indoor farming is the future of farming, and we’re glad to see that the U.S. government is thinking ahead and moving in the same direction. The farming industry faces some challenges before it. With climate changes, the patterns of planting will vary more and more, and extreme weather will become more normal. As our cities continue to support more people, it’s becoming more of a challenge to provide fresh, wholesome food to the neighborhoods that need it. The provisions in the farm bill provide the beginnings of some solutions for meeting those challenges, and for leading to a farming industry that’s equitable, sustainable, and healthy!
Hemp Farming Coming To Alabama But Still Months Away
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries will work with the federal government, the governor’s office, law enforcement and others in developing a plan to authorize hemp farming and processing in the wake of the decision by Congress.
December 17, 2018
A display about products made from hemp that was shown at the Alabama State House in 2016 when lawmakers passed a bill authorizing research on growing hemp for industrial uses. (Mike Cason | mcason@al.com)
Alabamians should be able to grow and process hemp as an agricultural commodity because of the farm bill approved by Congress last week, but there are still governmental hurdles ahead before they can get started.
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries will work with the federal government, the governor’s office, law enforcement and others in developing a plan to authorize hemp farming and processing in the wake of the decision by Congress.
Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan said it will take months to get the regulatory framework approved but said there’s strong interest and potential for hemp as a cash crop.
“Without a doubt this opens the door for I think great potential for our producers in Alabama to add another cash crop to their options,” McMillan said. The commissioner said hemp farming on a significant scale probably can’t happen in Alabama before the 2020 growing season.
On Dec. 12, Congress passed the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act, usually called the farm bill. The law, which still awaited President Trump’s signature on Monday, changes the legal status of hemp from a controlled substance to an agricultural commodity.
Hemp is related to the marijuana plant. But hemp contains far smaller amounts of THC, the intoxicating substance in marijuana, and is valued for the use of its fiber. Hemp stalks and hemp seeds are used to make a wide array of products, including fabric, fiber board, carpeting, insulation, livestock feed and automobile components such as door panels and insulation.
McMillan said the reclassification of hemp was widely expected in the agriculture community, partly because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell supported the change because of the industry’s potential in his home state of Kentucky.
The commissioner expects the federal government to require states to submit a regulatory plan that passes muster with law enforcement.
“Even though the farm bill makes it a commodity, it’s still different from these other commodities because of the illegal potential,” McMillan said. “So, we anticipate for sure that the Board of Agriculture is going to require us to have the known locations where it’s being grown, testing procedures to be sure it’s legal, and then procedures on how it will be disposed of if the tests determine it’s not legal.”
Federal law had previously allowed states to authorize research on hemp farming and the Alabama Legislature passed a bill to do so in 2016. McMillan said no hemp is being grown in Alabama as part of such a research project because of the long process of getting regulations approved by the federal government. But he said that process is finished and should be applicable to creating a regulatory framework for hemp production under the new authorization in the farm bill.
McMillan said he has recommended to the staff of Gov. Kay Ivey that the governor put together a working group or task force to make sure Agriculture & Industries, law enforcement and other agencies and groups have a part in crafting a uniform state plan.
Hemp is also a source for cannabidiol, a substance some people take to as a treatment for physical ailments. Cannabidiol can also be derived from marijuana and the Alabama Legislature has carved out limited exceptions to the law against marijuana possession for the use of cannabidiol.
Last week, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall put out an updated public notice on the legal status of cannabidiol in the wake of the farm bill and the change in the designation of hemp by Congress.
McMillan said he expects a request to the Legislature for additional funding and resources to administer a hemp program.
McMillan is completing his second term as agriculture commissioner and will take office as state treasurer in January. McMillan said incoming Commissioner Rick Pate will be up to speed on the hemp program and said he does not expect the changeover to delay the process.
Federal Farm Bill Expected To Benefit Urban Farmers In New Jersey
Eyewitness News
December 17. 2018
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) --
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez paid a visit to a farm in Newark Monday to discuss how the federal farm bill passed by Congress last week would benefit the Garden State.
Menendez said the bill would produce "major wins" for urban farmers while creating jobs and new economic opportunities for New Jerseyans.
Menendez said until now, urban farmers have been excluded from federal programs and funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that have been designed for traditional farming.
He said he cosponsored a provision included in the 2018 Farm Bill to correct this disparity.
The remarks came during a visit to Aero Farms the world's largest indoor vertical farm, growing organic produce all year, every day.
"This is about how we transform agriculture," said Mark Oshima, co-founder of AeroFarms. "This is about how we can bring the farming indoors and be able to grow with greater efficiency."
AeroFarms has five facilities in Newark and hires most of its workers from the city. The company is expanding and says the new farm bill is expected to make that easier.
"Companies like AeroFarms are proving that agriculture can thrive not only in our beautiful farmlands but here in the midst of our bustling cities," said Menendez.
Urban farms were not eligible to participate in federal programs that offered money, low interest loans and other business assistance that traditional farms have had access to. But this new growth industry will now, under the farm bill.
"As farming moves to urban farming centers we should be able to take advantage of that, the jobs that it's creating," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
Beyond jobs, AeroFarms hopes to make a local impact on the nutritional habits and choices in urban communities. It has hydroponic farms in two Newark schools and a dietician on its staff.
Farm Bill Creates Office For Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
By Brian Filipowich
The 2018 Farm Bill (H.R.2) passed both the House and Senate and will be signed into law by the President imminently. The Bill creates the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production which should boost aquaponics, hydroponics, and other sustainable growing methods.
The Bill establishes the Office “to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production
practices.” Related to this new Office, the Bill:
Provides for the assignment of a farm number for rooftop, indoor, and other urban farms.
Provides authority to award competitive grants to operate community gardens or
nonprofit farms, educate a community on food systems, nutrition, environmental impacts,
and agricultural production, and help offset start-up costs for new and beginning farmers.Establishes an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee.
Establishes pilot projects to increase compost and reduce food waste, and create urban
and suburban county committees.
In addition to the Office for Urban Agriculture, the Farm Bill also establishes the Urban, Indoor, and Other Emerging Agriculture Production Research, Education, and Extension Initiative. This Initiative does the following:
Authorizes competitive research and extension grants to support research, education, and
extension activities for the purposes of enhancing urban, indoor, and other emerging
agricultural production.Provides $4 million mandatory for each fiscal year 2019-2023.
Requires the Secretary to conduct a census of urban, indoor, and other emerging
agricultural production.
Unfortunately, there is plenty of bad along with the good: this Farm Bill continues negative policies that stifle smaller growers and wastefully support large industrial monoculture growers. Nevertheless, it is welcome to see the Federal Government acknowledging the need for investment in urban and sustainable growing.
Hopefully the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production can meaningfully support the expansion of aquaponics!
Brian Filipowich serves as Chairman of the Aquaponics Association
Moving The Farm Bill Forward
This week, the final draft of the farm bill was released by the House and Senate Conference.
Here's a summary:
• Creation of a new office within the USDA (Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production) with a mandate to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices.
• A $10 million annual appropriation for competitive grants to support research, education, and extension activities for urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural activities.
• An amendment to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) making loan guarantees of up to $25 million available for the purchase and installation of energy efficient equipment or systems for agricultural production or processing.
The next step? The president's signature and it becomes law!
Hemp, High-Speed Internet And Other Highlights From The New Farm Bill
December 13, 2018
Congress passed a 10-year, $867 billion farm bill Wednesday that would reauthorize a variety of agricultural programs and food aid for low-income Americans.
Debate on the legislation took months, with funding for the food stamp program one of the major sticking points during negotiations. The Senate approved the bill on 87-13 vote Tuesday. The House passed the measure with a 369-47 vote Wednesday, sending the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.
Here’s what is in the legislative package, which Trump is expected to sign next week:
Rejects limits to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better know as food stamps. The bill final left out a proposal from House Republicans and the president to impose stricter work requirements that would have cut roughly 1.1 million households from the program, according to a 2018 study by Mathematica Policy Research. The program currently serves more than 40 million low-income Americans.
Expands the safety net for dairy farmers. The bill lowers insurance premiums in the dairy margin protection program, a risk management programauthorized by the 2014 farm bill that protects farmers’ revenues when when production margins fall. The renewed support comes as the dairy industry faces a fourth year of depressed milk prices.
Legalizes the cultivation of industrial hemp. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., played a key role in negotiations to remove the crop from the federal list of controlled substances. The new classification will benefit McConnell’s home state of Kentucky, whose farmers are part of a growing hemp industry that’s predicted to expand into a $20 million industry by 2020.
Extends forest management. The finalized bill did not include a proposal by House Republicans and the Trump administration to ease environmental rules to allow more logging and forest-thinning projects, something they argued could help prevent wildfires. But it does create a program to encourage utility companies to clear bush near power lines on federal land.
A host of other, lesser-known provisions also made it into the bill:
Permanent funding for veteran and minority farmers. The bill guarantees $435 million in permanent funding to educate military veterans, socially disadvantaged and beginner farmers by tripling the current budget of the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program.
The bill provides other benefits for veterans as well, including decreasing the price of risk management tools, improving access to capital and land, and improving access to training.
Urban farming. The farm bill establishes a new office at the Department of Agriculture to advocate for and promote urban and indoor agriculture, such as community gardens, rooftop farms, and hydroponic and aquaponic farms. The office’s responsibilities also include helping identify best practices for navigating local urban farming policies and enhance existing business training programs for urban farmers.
Funding for organics. The bill permanently secures $50 million in annual funding for a Department of Agriculture research program that focuses on organic farming practices and expanding organic agriculture. It also offers funding to support farmers transitioning to organic production.
Scholarships at historically black colleges and universities. About $40 million in new funding will be allocated for new scholarships at 19 African-American land-grant universities for students to pursue careers in agricultural and food sciences.
The bill also provides $50 million for at least three “centers of excellence” based at HBCUs with specific areas of focus, including farming systems and emerging technologies.
Rural high-speed internet. Under the bill, funding for high-speed internet in rural communities will increase from $25 million to $350 million annually.
Funding for specialty crop farmers. The bill continues a number of research, disease control and grant programs fort specialty crop farmers (such as fruit, vegetable and tree nut producers.) It also provides $125 million in funding over five years for a new research program into citrus pests and diseases.
Left: Dairy cows eat their breakfast after their morning milking at EMMA Acres dairy farm, in Exeter, Rhode Island, U.S., 7 April, 2018. REUTERS/Oliver Doyle
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Go Deeper
Mitch McConnell’s Farm Bill Could Blow Up The CBD Market
by Lester Black • Nov 28, 2018
Mom is going to be buying CBD at Walgreens if this bill passes. UPPERCUT IMAGES / GETTY
CBD is already big business in America with hundreds of millions of dollars in sales every year. But the market for pot's second most famous compound might soon skyrocket thanks to a somewhat unlikely ally: Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell.
The powerful Republican from Kentucky included provisions in this year’s Farm Bill that would fully legalize industrial hemp. That bill is now a top priority for Congress to pass before the end of the year, and if it becomes law we might see CBD on the shelves of every drug store in America.
“Once CBD is fully legalized, we expect that market to absolutely explode, with sales hitting $22 billion by 2022, which is higher than the US Cannabis industry,” said Bethany Gomez, the director of research for the cannabis research firm Brightfield Group. “That growth will absolutely be a result of legalization."
CBD, a non-psychoactive and medicinal compound in pot that can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, currently occupies a legal gray area in America. Legal sources of CBD exist, but those sources require significant hurdles and the federal government rarely enforces laws against illegally sourced CBD. That has created a system where there’s a lot of illegally sourced CBD being sold on retail shelves. This gray area has hampered CBD’s growth by stopping big retail players like CVS and Walgreens from selling the drug. Most CBD is sold either online or in small independent health stores.
McConnell’s bill would likely change that. This year’s proposed Farm Bill removes industrial hemp, the most common source of CBD, from the Controlled Substance Act. Industrial hemp is any cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3 percent THC. By making industrial hemp fully legal, McConnell’s bill would make it easier for farmers to grow CBD-rich cannabis and less risky for big retailers like CVS to know that what they are buying is federally legal.
Brandon Beatty, the founder & CEO of the CBD brand Bluebird Botanicals, said the bill would allow large retailers to stock CBD products. Right now CBD products are largely relegated to independent natural health stores.
“Many watching the industry guess that the day the 2018 Farm Bill gets signed will be the day that some of the biggest players in the industry put in their orders to get CBD-rich hemp extracts on their shelves.”
Gomez said getting retail chains involved in CBD would blow the industry up.
"Year-on-year growth even prior to legalization hit 80% in 2018, with the year expected to close at $591 million. This is a strong year-on-year growth, but considering that all of the chained retailers and large Healthcare and Consumer Packaged Goods companies are kept out of the industry, this is tiny,” Gomez said in an e-mail.
Industrial hemp looks just like pot (because it is). It just doesn't have THC. GETTY IMAGES
McConnell’s hemp legalization is an expansion of what Congress did in their last Farm Bill in 2014. In that law, Congress made it legal to grow CBD-rich industrial hemp if a farmer received a research permit from either a state government or a university. Seth Goldberg, a partner and the head of the cannabis practice at the Philadelphia law firm Duane Morris, said 2018’s version would make it so farmers would no longer need those special permits.
“McConnell’s bill would remove industrial hemp from the CSA [Controlled Substance Act], which is a change to industrial hemp research program in the 2014 Farm Bill. Under that program industrial hemp and uses of it were restricted to state-regulated, university-affiliated agricultural research programs,” Goldberg said in an e-mail.
These state research programs have become more common since 2014 with dozens of states adopting them, but they are often expensive and full of cumbersome regulations. The Washington State Department of Agriculture created an Industrial Hemp program but many farmers never got involved thanks to expensive permits and invasive regulations. McConnell’s bill would remove any requirement to comply with those programs.
Beatty from Bluebird Botanicals said the Farm Bill would also expand banking access for CBD companies and allow farmers to buy crop insurance for the CBD-rich hemp crops. Beatty said these extra protections would grow the market even further.
“In just five years, the markets developed rapidly into over a thousand companies and a number of large companies. The further protections of the 2018 Farm Bill will open the floodgates to the many who didn't have the courage to get into the industry earlier but see a market booming,” Beatty said in an e-mail.
Goldberg, who is watching the Farm Bill for a trade group of West Coast pot businesses called the Western Regional Cannabis Business Alliance, said the hemp legalization measures appear to have support from both Republicans and Democrats.
“The bill seems to have bipartisan support and there is no indication that it will not be included in the 2018 Farm Bill when it passes,” Goldberg said via e-mail.
The biggest problem with the Farm Bill might be a controversial Republican proposal to add new work requirements for food stamps. The federal government’s food stamp program forms the bulk of the Farm Bill’s spending.
Goldberg said the bill might not pass before the end of the year, during the so-called "lame-duck" session.
“There appears to be an effort to pass the 2018 Farm Bill during the lame-duck session. In all events, it does not seem like McConnel’s bill is the cause of the delay and it will be included in the bill whether passed in 2018 or early 2019.”
Lester Black
Lester Black is a staff writer for The Stranger, where he writes about Seattle news, cannabis, and beer. He is sometimes sober.
3 Things To Fight For In The Farm Bill
By urbanagnews - September 17, 2018
Article by The Upstart University Team
The Farm Bill is moving in Congress and could impact your farm.
As you may have learned in our previous post, Congress typically rewrites the Farm Bill every five years and is currently in the process of writing a new Farm Bill with the goal of passing it by the end of September. The next two and a half weeks are a critical time for farmers who want to inform the decisions made around this bill.
So what’s in it for you?
Each Farm Bill contains resources for farmers of all kinds, but the current bill presents unique opportunities for indoor farmers.
Several members of Congress have proposed that the new Farm Bill include policies and programs that could benefit your indoor farm. Read on for three potential inclusions that could impact your business.
1) A USDA office focused on indoor agriculture and other emerging food and ag technologies
One proposed change in the Farm Bill is to create a new office and advisory committee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will be focused specifically on helping those using new and emerging food and ag technologies navigate USDA loan, grant and technical assistance programs, connect with experts, and share best practices. The advisory committee will include producers using emerging technologies to grow food, like indoor farmers.
2) Expanded eligibility for renewable energy loans & grants
In a recent survey of Upstart University members, all respondents agreed that they plan on investing in energy efficient equipment of some kind:
56% plan on investing in energy efficient lighting
39% plan on investing in energy efficient cooling systems
36% plan on investing in energy efficient pumps
Which of the following systems do you plan to invest in over the next year?
Proposed updates to an existing Farm Bill program called the Rural Energy for America Program could benefit indoor farmers who want to use energy efficient equipment. This update to the program would make certain indoor farmers eligible to apply for direct loan guarantees and grants to support renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades.
3) Boosted indoor agriculture research
Another proposed change to the Farm Bill directs USDA to focus on indoor agriculture production in public agricultural research, education and extension activities. While current public research activities do benefit indoor agriculture, this expanded focus will create new opportunities to test ideas and techniques that will lead to more productive agriculture.
Help Get a Farm Bill That Supports Indoor Agriculture
One of the most important things you can do is to call your Member of Congress and urge them to support a Farm Bill that includes policies and programs that could benefit indoor agriculture.
When you call, make sure to tell them that you live in their District and that you own or operate an indoor farming business that is contributing to your state’s agriculture industry.
Here’s what to ask for in the Farm Bill:
An office and advisory committee at USDA focused on indoor agriculture and other emerging food and ag technologies
Updating the Rural Energy for America Program, an existing Farm Bill program, to allow certain indoor farmers to be eligible to apply for direct loans and grants for new equipment
Including indoor agriculture production in public research, education and extension activities
Visit www.house.gov to locate contact information for your Member of Congress. Be sure to make your calls before September 30.
Upstart Farmers Wants You To Know Some Important Facts About The Farm Bill
By urbanagnews
September 14, 2018
Article by Amy Storey, Upstart Farmers
In a recent survey conducted by Upstart University, 70% of respondents stated that they were unsure of whether the Farm Bill would impact their [future] business. Yet ironically all respondents plan on investing in some kind of energy-efficient equipment in the next year, whether that’s lighting, HVAC, pumps, or motors.
These two facts conflict with each other! Why? Because the Farm Bill directly influences how billions of government dollars are allocated —and that includes the programs that can help farmers launch or scale their farms.
In other words: the Farm Bill will affect your business more than you think! And the next month is a critical period.
Survey respondents also rated their Farm Bill knowledge at an average of 14—out of a hundred. Ouch.To help youget up to speed, here’s a quick primer on the Farm Bill, its contents, how it’s created, and how you can impact the outcome.
The Farm Bill is the biggest collection of food and ag-related policy for the U.S.
The Farm Bill is the most powerful collection of food, nutrition and agricultural policy, intertwined with all kinds of farms, how they function, and the economics surrounding them. It’s separated into sections (“titles”) that cover the policy around a certain topic, from conservation and energy, to nutrition programs, to rural development, to crop insurance, to beginning farmers. Every farmer has a vested interest in at least one of these topics!
YOU CAN READ SHORT EXPLANATIONS OF EACH TITLE HERE.
If you’ve been listening to news or skimming headlines in the last few months, you’ve seen discussions of the upcoming version of the Farm Bill. The reason that so many people are involved in the Bill is that it decides how a lot of money is directed. For example, the last Farm Bill cost an estimated 95 billion dollars a year. Roughly 75% of that went towards nutrition programs (mostly SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
With so much funding and other programs and benefits hanging in the balance, there’s a lot to fight for. (Learn more about that in our next post.)
How the Farm Bill works
In most cases, the Farm Bill has a defined 5-year lifecycle with distinct decision making points. It starts when two different versions of the Bill are drafted—one by the House Agriculture committee, and one by the Senate Agriculture committee. Once the drafts have been passed in the House and the Senate, a new “conference committee” is formed to work out the differences. It includes the Chairs of the House and Senate Agriculture committees as well as a mix of other Senators and Representatives. (This is the current stage of the Farm Bill. Meet the Conference Committee members from the Senate and the House.)
The Conference Committee members will reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill into a single piece of legislation. That legislation goes back to be debated and voted on in both the House and the Senate. If it doesn’t pass, the debate goes back to the Ag Committees. When it does pass Congress, it is sent to the President and becomes law if it is signed. On rare occasions, the President has vetoed Farm Bills in the past. Congress can then vote to override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber.
A process designed for input
When the Farm Bill was first created under President Roosevelt in the wake of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, it had three original goals: fair food prices, adequate food supply, and protectio
n of America’s natural resources. It is the duty of the Agriculture Committees to protect these goals.
You are an expert on the minute details and nuances of how those goals play out. You live them every day! This makes your insight a precious resource to those working on the Farm Bill. (Hurray for democratic government!) One of the best things you can do is make sure that lawmakers are aware of your needs by speaking up.
Stay tuned for more on the Farm Bill and what it means for your business
Curious what will affect your farm the most in the Farm Bill? Next time, we’re going to cover specific issues in the Farm Bill that could affect indoor farmers—and what you can do about them.
The Aquaponic Association - U.S. Farm Bill - 300 Aquaponic Signatures to Congress
August 7, 2018
U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry 328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
House Committee on Agriculture
1301 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senators and Representatives:
Aquaponic growers around the country are glad to see that the Senate’s recent Farm Bill draft includes provisions for aquaponics and other sustainable growing methods like hydroponics, aeroponics, vertical growing, rooftop growing, and controlled-environment greenhouses.
Our planet is already grappling with environmental stress and resource depletion, and global population is expected to grow 1.5 Billion by 2050. Investments in sustainable agriculture are critical to a prosperous future.
The Aquaponics Association and the undersigned institutions and individuals urge you to ensure that the final draft of the 2018 Farm Bill supports aquaponics and related sustainable agricultural methods.
BACKGROUND
Aquaponic growers around the world have proven that we can provide the freshest, healthiest produce in any environment with the fewest resources. We employ water-based, recirculating systems of fish, plants and bacteria to produce vegetables, fruits and fish (edible or ornamental).
In every state across the country, aquaponic growers are supplying markets and restaurants; growing for their own diet; teaching STEM education; and contributing to sustainability research.
Aquaponic agriculture has many nationwide benefits:
• Less water use - Aquaponic systems use over 90% less water than traditional agriculture per pound of produce.
Local economic growth - Aquaponics can be performed from cities to deserts, offering jobs and regional economic growth anywhere.
No antibiotics - Aquaponic systems are naturally incompatible with antibiotics; growers rely on a diverse microbial ecosystem for natural disease suppression.
Fewer food miles - Aquaponics can deliver fresh produce in any environment which will reduce carbon use, food spoilage, and nutrient depletion.
Better food safety - Controlled-environment greenhouses minimize the risk of outdoor contamination hazards that cause most outbreaks.
Food security – More local food leads to better food security in times of extreme weather or systemic crises.
No toxic runoff - Aquaponic systems are closed-loop and do not emit the harmful agricultural runoff that causes aquatic dead-zones.
No synthetic chemicals - Aquaponic systems do not require synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
Less land-use and soil erosion - Aquaponics can be practiced anywhere from rooftops to old industrial buildings. Plants can yield over 150% more produce than traditional agriculture per grow area.
Aquaponics can help meet the nutrition needs of a growing population, generate local economic growth, and benefit our environment. Please ensure that the 2018 U.S. Farm BiIl supports aquaponics and other new sustainable growing methods, in the same manner, it supports traditional agriculture.
This letter was prepared by the Aquaponics Association 2018 Farm Bill Coalition.
Please Click Here to View The Letter and Signators
Senate Farm Bill Includes Provisions for Aquaponics and Hydroponics
Read what the Senate’s Farm Bill includes for Aquaponics, Click Here: Senate Farm Bill Fact Sheet
Read what the Senate’s Farm Bill includes for Aquaponics, Click Here: Senate Farm Bill Fact Sheet
The U.S. Senate on July 5 passed a draft of the 2018 Farm Bill that includes provisions specifically relating to aquaponics, hydroponics, and other sustainable growing methods. (Maybe our 200+ signature sign-on letter had an effect!)
The Senate’s draft is an improvement over the House draft, which did not even mention aquaponics. But Congress must still do more to support local, efficient agriculture.
The House and Senate must now reconcile their two versions and vote on a final version in the upcoming weeks. We need to make sure that, at a minimum, the Senate’s aquaponics provisions are included in the final draft.
The Farm Bill is intended to provide an adequate national supply of food and nutrition. It is passed once every five years. Both the House and Senate version of the 2018 Farm Bill allocate over $400 billion in spending.
In February, the Aquaponics Association sent over 200 signatures to Congress. We asked Congress to ensure that crop insurance, crop subsidy, research, conservation, and all other Farm Bill programs apply equally to aquaponics as to traditional soil growing.
We need to make sure Congress supports sustainable agriculture.
Click Here to join the 2018 Aquaponics Farm Bill Coalition.
Next week we’ll send another letter to Congress reminding them of the importance of aquaponics to the future of food production.
House Farm Bill Extends Subsidies to Urban Elites
In an era of excessive government spending, it should come as no surprise that each year thousands of urban residents are collectively paid millions of dollars in subsidies. However, it is surprising they are receiving agricultural subsidies.
House Farm Bill Extends Subsidies to Urban Elites
JUNE 25, 2018
In an era of excessive government spending, it should come as no surprise that each year thousands of urban residents are collectively paid millions of dollars in subsidies. However, it is surprising they are receiving agricultural subsidies.
The House’s narrow vote of 213 to 211 to pass the farm bill last week sent a clear message that a majority of members are not serious about cutting back on corporate welfare in the agricultural sector. When it comes to determining who can receive payments, the House bill makes it even easier for non-farmers to be subsidized.
The Environment Working Group (EWG) recently determined that 17,836 people who live in America’s 50 largest cities received $63 million in farm subsidies in 2015 and 2016. Due to poorly-defined eligibility requirements, people from Detroit and Washington, D.C., where there are no farms, are receiving agricultural payments.
The farm bill’s loopholes are not new problems, and few signs point towards their elimination anytime soon, despite repeated calls from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to enact clearer distinctions over who qualifies for commodity payments.
Beginning with the Agricultural Reconciliation Act of 1987, Congress has attempted to implement eligibility standards for receiving subsidy payments. Over time, there has been a general tightening of what constitutes being “actively engaged in farming.” In 2015, the Department of Agriculture instituted an eight-pronged set of guidelines in an attempt to cut down on abuse. However, vagueness in what counts as “supervision” and “management functions” along with an inability to enforce the rules has rendered restrictions ineffective.
As the previously presented data suggest, the problem of individuals qualifying for subsidies without stepping foot on a farm has not been resolved. About 87 percent of farms are sole proprietorships, and these may receive excessive subsidies by counting an unlimited number of family members as “actively engaged.” Being an extended family member of a farmer or making a small investment in a local farm could net individuals and their spouses $125,000 each in subsidies. Yet, legislators seem unwilling to heed calls for clarification and reform when farm bill deliberations occur every five years.
Section 1603 of the House bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to allow farmers’ cousins, nieces, and nephews to be counted as family members for subsidies, and grants corporations the chance to count multiple members if they are a “pass-through entity.” These changes open the floodgates for even more non-farmers to claim subsidies.
Recognizing the wasteful nature of these loopholes, President Trump has called for a reduction in the $900,000 income cap of eligibility to $500,000 for anyone receiving a commodity payout. This proposed limit would prevent urban billionaires from profiting off subsidies. A 2016 report by EWG revealed that 50 members of the Forbes 400 list received farm subsidies in the previous 20 years.
A bipartisan group of representatives tried to codify this cap into the farm bill during the original hearings, but their amendment (Amendment 51) was blocked from a vote. Also blocked was House Freedom Caucus leader Representative Mark Meadows’ (R-NC) Amendment 75 that would have tightened the definition of active engagement and limited farms to one manager. By not including these protections against abuse of the system, the House farm bill was a step backward.
The Senate Agriculture Committee seems to be on track to preserve the vague definition, despite lone dissenter Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) pleas for reform. While the Senate’s version of the farm bill does not mimic the House bill in making loopholes easier to exploit, it does not end subsidies to city-dwellers. Substantial amendments are necessary to limit the number of eligible managers and require that they actually work on the farm. This would assure subsidies were targeted to rural communities.
Ultimately, basing eligibility on the number of actively engaged family members leads to abuse of the system. A more efficient payment allocation methodology that examines the risks and needs of individual farms instead of blindly compensating based on managerial style or family size is desperately needed. It should be common sense that farm subsidies should be sent solely to farmers, but until Congress comes to this realization, subsidization of urban farm “managers” will continue, at a cost to taxpayers of millions of dollars.
Stephen Vukovits is a contributor to Economics 21. Follow him on Twitter @svukovits.
House Passes Farm Bill With Provisions That Weaken Organic, Poison Waterways And Harm Endangered Species
House Passes Farm Bill With Provisions That Weaken Organic, Poison Waterways And Harm Endangered Species
(Beyond Pesticides, June 26, 2018)
On June 21, 2018, the controversial 2018 Farm Bill (H.R. 2) narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives 213 to 211 with provisions that will eliminate federal review of pesticide impacts on endangered species, undermine organic standards, and ease requirements regarding releases of pesticides into waterways. In May, the bill failed to pass when it got caught in the debate over immigration reform, but now this dangerous bill is much closer to becoming a major threat to the environment.
The bill, H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, is a major win for the pesticide industry, which spent $43 million on lobbying this Congressional season, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. At the forefront are provisions that weaken the organic standards and the elimination of the requirement that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) assess pesticide impacts on endangered species before U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves a pesticide for use. The bill also exempts those applying pesticides to lakes, streams, and rivers from having a permit under the Clean Water Act. This will allow indiscriminate contamination of waterways in spite of reports that pesticides are detected frequently and at environmentally relevant concentrations in U.S. waterways.
The House Farm Bill weakens organic standards with provisions that:
- Permit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sidestep the NOSB in allowing toxic post-harvest handling substances (sanitizers) to be used in organic production;
- Change the classification of types of people who may be appointed to the NOSB by adding employees of farmers, handlers, and retailers;
- Force consideration of allowing the use of products in organic that are subject to weaker standards of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and
- Give USDA greater direct and indirect power to change the materials allowed in organic production to favor producers who do not meet all the criteria traditionally considered to be required of organic certified operations –such as hydroponics, poultry houses without real access to the outdoors, and dairy operations without meaningful pasture.
The House Farm Bill includes provisions that:
- Amend the federal pesticide law to pre-empt local governments from restricting pesticide use on private property within their jurisdictions;
- Exempt the use of pesticides from the Endangered Species Act, effectively dooming hundreds of endangered species to extinction and making it legal to kill any endangered species with a pesticide at almost any time;
- Eliminate litigation as a remedy when pesticide decisions threaten endangered species;
- Eliminate all protections under the Clean Water Act when toxic pesticides are sprayed directly into rivers and streams;
- Enact the “Pesticide Registration Improvement Act,” providing long-term funding to EPA for expedited processing of pesticide approvals, without accompanying measures to ensure that farmworkers and other pesticide applicators are safe;
- Weaken restrictions on the use of the highly toxic ozone deplete, methyl bromide; and
- Provide state pesticide regulatory agencies a secret chance to slow or effectively veto EPA pesticide protections before they are proposed.
The bill is also controversial because of proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps. House Republicans have pushed for measures that would increase the number of recipients who must work in order to receive food stamps, including limiting states’ abilities to waive those requirements in areas with poor economies.
The Senate version of the 2018 farm bill thus far does not include these dangerous threats to environmental protections or any changes to the SNAP program — leading some to believe that the House version is unlikely to pass into law.
Farm bills are massive, providing funding for diverse programs including food aid, crop subsidies, rural development, conservation and efforts to stem the opioid crisis in rural communities. The last bill came into effect in 2014, two years behind schedule, after extensive congressional negotiations and partisan fights over food stamps.
The Senate version recently passed out of committee and is expected to sail through the full Senate this week. The bipartisan Senate bill also amends a standard setting provision in the Organic Foods Production Act, opening the way to new interpretations of law and broader changes in the conference between the House and Senate.
Beyond Pesticides opposes any provisions in the Farm Bill that amend the standard setting procedures of the federal organic law and believes that no improvements are worth the damage that can be done to the standard-setting process and public trust in the organic market and the organic seal in the marketplace. Beyond Pesticides is urging that conferees in House-Senate Farm Bill conference later in the session eliminate amendments that change any aspect of organic standard setting under the Organic Foods Production Act.
Source: Center for Biological Diversity, EcoWatch, US PIRG
House of Representatives Passes Farm Bill by 213-211 Vote
House of Representatives Passes Farm Bill by 213-211 Vote
The House of Representatives passed the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) yesterday by a 213 to 211 vote. No Democrats voted for the bill based on their opposition to expansion of the work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as Food Stamps). The Senate is expected to vote on their version of the Farm Bill next week. The current Farm Bill expires on September 30 of this year.
The House version
clarifies issues relating to crop insurance for organic production,
- clarifies eligibility for organics to the Market Access Programs (foreign market promotion efforts subsidized by USDA),
- authorizes up to $30,000,000 annually for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative and allows for projects on soil-health to compete for those grants,
- clarifies regulatory requirements for auditors that conduct certifications outside of the United States,
- establishes permission for the Secretary of Agriculture to develop methods for the expedited review of post harvest handling materials related to food safety as it pertains to the National List,
- clarifies that employees (and not just owners) may serve as members of the National Organic Standards Board,
- establishes a task force that shares information of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration with the NOSB regarding products they deem as having "reasonable certainty than no harm will result" that NOSB is considering for inclusion or exclusion from the National List,
- explicitly allows for the sharing of business confidential information during investigation and enforcement actions by members of the industry, auditors and government employees,
- gives access to the NOP to import databases of other agencies that monitor and regulate imports,
- requires NOP to give an annual report of their investigations to Congress,
- authorizes USDA to impose additional documentation requirements for products at higher risk of fraud,
- requires USDA to update their regulations on which types of entities will still be exempt from organic certification requirements (brokers and certain handlers),
- authorizes increases to the NOP budget from $15,000,000 per year in 2018 to $24,000,000 by 2023, and
- creates a mandatory funding source of $5,000,000 per year through 2023 for NOP investment in trade tracking systems and transaction certificates to allow for enforcement and fraud prevention without unduly burdening the industry.
The CSO will continue to monitor the Farm Bill process to minimize any potential negative impacts on organic growers utilizing containers, hydroponic and/or aquaponics in their production systems.
Secretary Perdue Statement on 2018 Farm Bill Passing the House of Representatives
Secretary Perdue Statement on 2018 Farm Bill Passing the House of Representatives
(Washington, D.C., June 21, 2018) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed their version of the 2018 Farm Bill:
“I applaud Chairman Conaway and the House Agriculture Committee for their diligence and hard work in passing their 2018 Farm Bill through the House of Representatives. American producers have greatly benefited from the policies of the Trump Administration, including tax reforms and reductions in regulations, however, a Farm Bill is still critically important to give the agriculture community some much-needed reassurance.
No doubt, there is still much work to be done on this legislation in both chambers of Congress, and USDA stands ready to assist with whatever counsel lawmakers may request or require.”
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House Farm Bill Doesn’t Even Mention Aquaponics
House Farm Bill Doesn’t Even Mention Aquaponics
By urbanagnews
May 14, 2018
The House Agriculture Committee recently passed its draft of the 2018 Farm Bill (H.R.2) to the House floor for consideration. The bill doesn’t even mention sustainable production methods like aquaponics, hydroponics, vertical growing or greenhouse growing.
The Farm Bill is passed only once every five years, and it allocates over $100 billion to ensure an adequate national supply of food and nutrition.
Aquaponics growers employ water-based, recirculating systems of fish and plants that can grow fresh produce from the rooftops of New York City to the deserts of New Mexico. In every state across the country, aquaponics growers are supplying markets and restaurants; growing for their own diet; teaching STEM education; and contributing to sustainability research.
Unfortunately, the current House Farm Bill ignores aquaponics and hydroponics. Instead, it continues excessive support for industrial mono-crop agriculture, characterized by: thousands of acres of one single crop; wasteful water usage; average crop travel distances over 1,000 miles; toxic nutrient runoff; and widespread use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and antibiotics.
At a time when our planet is dealing with rapid population growth, resource depletion, and environmental problems, why is our government ignoring the most sustainable growing methods?
In February 2018, The Aquaponics Association Farm Bill Coalition sent a message to Congress asking that aquaponics be treated on a level playing field with all other forms of agriculture. The letter included over 200 signatures from aquaponics growers.
There are small signs of progress. A Member of Congress has drafted an amendment to define aquaponics and specifically include it in a subset of Farm Bill programs. They have reached out to our Coalition, and we are in the process of collecting and providing feedback.
The progress to date is a small fraction of what’s necessary to create real change. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or anything in between, the Farm Bill will be spending your tax dollars on agriculture. Let’s make sure aquaponics, hydroponics, and other forms of sustainable agriculture are included.
If you’d like to get involved, you can join the Aquaponics Association 2018 Farm Bill Coalition. We’ll be organizing another letter campaign in the upcoming weeks.
Please let us know about your experiences working with the USDA or other food policy-makers.
Stay tuned!
Brian Filipowich, Chairman
Aquaponics Association
info@aquaponicsassociation.org
Draft House Farm Bill: Organic Agriculture
DRAFT HOUSE FARM BILL: ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
April 14, 2018
Organic produce at Washington DC’s Dupont Farmers Market. Photo credit: Reana Kovalcik, NSAC.
This is the sixth and final post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018, by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Previous posts focused on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies local/regional food systems and rural development, research and seed breeding, and conservation. The bill is expected to be considered and “marked-up” (aka amended) by the full Agriculture Committee in the next week.
Programs and policies that affect organic agriculture are found across multiple titles of the farm bill. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has combed through the draft farm bill recently introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and provided an overview of how the bill would affect some of the programs and policies most important to the organic industry. Overall, the bill is mixed when it comes to organic agriculture. It fails, unfortunately, to address some very significant issues concerning conservation and crop insurance access, as well as certification support for producers transitioning to organic. However, organic research and data initiatives receive support in the Chairman’s draft and generally fared better than other areas of organic agriculture.
The bill also proposes several changes to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which is the Federal Advisory Board that considers and makes recommendations on a wide range of issues regarding organic production. The organic community is currently analyzing these changes and submitting their feedback, and NSAC will monitor the debate as it moves forward.
Below, we include a summary of the key takeaways on how the Chairman’s mark addresses a subset of organic policies and programs in the draft farm bill.
Highlights
- Increases funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), which is the only research program to receive an increase in the draft bill. The 2014 Farm Bill mandated $20 million per year for the program, while the Chairman’s mark increases annual funding to $30 million. While this level does not meet the $50 million proposed in the Organic Agriculture Research Act, it is a very significant step forward in advancing research to support growth in the organic sector.
- Restores funding for the Organic Production and Market Data Initiatives (ODI), which the 2014 Farm Bill provided with a total of $5 million. ODI is a multi-agency initiative that facilitates the collection and distribution of organic market information, including data on production, handling, distribution, retail, and consumer purchasing patterns. The House draft bill meets NSAC’s recommendation to provide $5 million to be available until expended.
Lowlights
- Fails to include any significant provisions to expand access to crop insurance for organic agriculture. NSAC has urged Congress to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to complete price elections for all covered crops, including organic crops, within five years to ensure that organic operations have the same risk management opportunities as conventional operations.
- Eliminates all funding for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program, which supports the growth of domestic production so that U.S. producers can take advantage of growing market opportunities.
- Fails to make any changes to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative that would improve access to conservation support for organic producers. For example, the bill does not eliminate the significantly lower payment cap within the Organic Initiative, nor allocate dedicated funds to the states to ensure utilization.
House Agriculture Committee Concludes Farm Bill Work Without Making Necessary Changes For Young Farmers
House Agriculture Committee Concludes Farm Bill Work Without Making Necessary Changes For Young Farmers
Partisan markup yields heated debate, few amendments; NYFC calls on U.S. House to make improvements as farm bill goes to the floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 18, 2018) – The House Agriculture Committee completed its markup of the House farm bill today and reported the bill to the full U.S. House. Despite a robust debate, the Committee made few changes to the bill, no moves to restore mandatory funding for programs critical to young farmers, and left key concerns over conservation, nutrition, and loan programs unaddressed. As the bill moves toward the House floor, the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) called on all Representatives to make significant changes.
“So few amendments offered to such an important and wide-ranging bill can mean only one of two things: either Members of the Committee think it’s near-perfect, or the House farm bill process is deeply troubled,” said Lindsey Lusher Shute, co-founder and Executive Director of NYFC. “Failure to pass a farm bill this year would be a significant setback for young farmers. While Congress sits in its committee room arguing, young farmers are putting everything on the line to grow food for the nation. Farmers need Members of Congress to back them up and support the programs that make a difference. We appreciate that the draft House bill addresses some of the challenges that young farmers now face, but it also eliminates programs that they rely on and further undermines their ability to compete.”
NYFC has praised the preservation of mandatory funding for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), the Transition Incentives Program (CRP-TIP), and Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers (also known as the 2501 Program) even as they continue to call for increased investments in those programs. They have expressed strong opposition to the elimination of mandatory funding for programs critical to young farmers entering the market, including the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (NOCCSP), and Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG).
NYFC has also expressed serious concern about the overhaul of conservation programs in the bill, particularly as young farmers in the West brace for drought. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest conservation program, is effectively eliminated, and overall conservation spending is cut by billions. Lastly, the bill fails to incorporate components of NYFC’sYoung Farmer Agenda to improve implementation of USDA programs, including the establishment of state beginning farmer and rancher coordinators, modernizing customer service, and making progress to help young farmers manage student loan debt.
“Now that the Agriculture Committee has finished its work and voted this bill out, it’s incumbent on every Member of the House to step up and make this a farm bill that meets the urgency of the moment,” Shute said. “Young farmers are counting on them.”
The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) is a national advocacy network of young farmers fighting for the future of agriculture. Visit NYFC on the web at www.youngfarmers.org, and onTwitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
House Farm Bill Will Cost Young Farmers, Organic, and Conservation
House Farm Bill Will Cost Young Farmers, Organic, and Conservation
Posted by Sophie Ackoff
April 13, 2018
At long last, the House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) introduced his draft of the 2018 Farm Bill on Thursday. And we’ve got work to do.
The bill maintains important provisions for beginning farmers, such as the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, but it would phase out programs that are critical to young farmers, compromise farmland conservation, and hurt the consumer safety net.
The next step in the farm bill process is the agriculture committee markup next Wednesday. Between now and then, we need you to raise your voice and tell Republicans and Democrats what amendments and fixes are needed to get this bill into shape. Moving forward, here’s the good, the bad, and what you can do to help.
The Good
As we express concern about the hyper-partisan path that this farm bill draft has taken and what that means for ultimately passing a farm bill on time, it’s important to acknowledge what this bill gets right, and where the Committee seems to have listened to the sustained and growing young farmer movement.
There’s only one program in the farm bill with “beginning farmer” in the title — the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). If that program, which funds technical training, business planning, farmland access and transition, and other support critical to new farmers, is not reauthorized by the September 30th deadline, it’ll be eliminated. Fortunately, this bill would fund BFRDP at its current level of $20 million per year and make some important improvements to the program’s implementation. While still nowhere near the level of investment required to revitalize our aging agricultural sector, this is generally good news.
The bill also preserves some programs related to the top challenge young farmers face: land access. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, which helps preserve farmland from development and saw its funding cut in half in 2018, would be restored to $500 million per year. We’ll have to continue advocating for stronger easements that keep conserved farmland affordable, but that’s a win (read “the bad” for a few caveats here). The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) receives its own dedicated funding stream to facilitate public-private partnerships and leverage private dollars for conservation projects. The bill would help reign in rental rates in the Conservation Reserve Program that often outcompete beginning farmers for land, and continue the Transition Incentives Program (CRP-TIP), which incentivizes farmers participating in CRP to lease farmland to beginning farmers. The bill also allows for more flexible eligibility criteria for FSA farm ownership loans that account for the diverse educational and occupational backgrounds many young farmers enter the field from. Two new initiatives could help inch us closer to a more comprehensive approach to land access: the creation of a federal “Commission on Farm Transitions” and a new initiative to collect and report data and analysis on farmland ownership, tenure, transition, and entry of beginning farmers. Lastly, the bill maintains funding for outreach and assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers (the 2501 program), but makes concerning changes that could further undermine the purpose of the program.
Though local and organic programs mostly fared poorly (see below), there are a few bright spots. The Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) sees an increase in dollars, and funding for Specialty Crop Block Grants is maintained. And in the one positive change to the Nutrition Title, funding for the Food Insecurity and Nutrition Incentives (FINI) program, which expands low-income Americans’ ability to purchase fresh produce at places like farmers’ markets, is dramatically increased.
Set-asides and priority ranking for beginning farmers across most programs are maintained, but not increased. The exception is in Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, the new risk management tool for diversified growers, where beginning farmer benefits are extended from five years to ten.
Lastly, provisions from the NYFC-endorsed STRESS Act (H.R. 5259) to create the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network and expand mental health resources to farmers and farmworkers is included in the bill.
The Bad
Our 2017 National Young Farmer Survey found that many young farmers are starting small and capitalizing on growing demand for local food by selling sustainably-produced food directly to consumers through farmers’ markets, CSAs, and local restaurants.
Unfortunately, local and organic initiatives take an absolute beating in Chairman Conaway’s farm bill. Mandatory funding for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP), an effective program to help young farmers offset the cost of certification, is eliminated. Mandatory funding for Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG), which help young farmers diversify their revenue streams and grow their businesses to meet local demand, is eliminated. Mandatory funding for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), which builds out local direct-to-consumer markets and has created opportunity for young farmers across the country is eliminated.
The Conservation Title of this draft farm bill sees the most dramatic changes aside from the Nutrition Title, and many of those changes are incredibly problematic. The restoration of funding for ACEP is sourced by multiple reforms that will undermine the integrity of the program, including a waiver that appears to allow for oil and gas drilling and other mineral development on conserved farmland. The bill would also dilute the limited amount of funding meant for farmland preservation by allowing projects that contain no farmland to be funded and removing the income cap that encourages wealthy landowners to donate their easements rather than use up scarce federal resources. The ACEP reforms do not include prioritization of projects that ensure the affordability of conserved farmland for future generations, a long-time priority for NYFC that would ensure the best use of public dollars.
Perhaps the biggest change is to working lands programs. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest conservation program, is effectively eliminated and swallowed whole by the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Although the Chairman has maintained that he wants to continue some portions of CSP through the merged program, the devil is in the details, and the actual legislative text suggests something entirely different. As written, CSP, which currently funds long-term conservation practices on over 70 million acres of farmland and which 13% of young farmers from our survey reported benefiting from, would be completely hollowed out. On top of eliminating CSP, the bill cuts overall funding to the working lands programs. With current drought conditions in the West, maintaining conservation funding is critical to help farmers prepare and be more resilient to increasingly dry and variable conditions.
The bill makes changes to Farm Service Agency loans that could squeeze beginning farmers out as demand for credit continues to increase. Raising the loan limit on guaranteed loans will surely benefit larger farms, but it will also mean fewer dollars to go around for beginning farmers already struggling to compete for capital.
Lastly, there are some big changes to nutrition programs. This isn’t NYFC’s expertise, but we stand in solidarity with groups protecting food security for the most vulnerable Americans. We will be sharing more information from partners here soon.
Action Needed, Now.
This bill will not be improved and these imperiled programs will not be saved without your input. If you want to be part of NYFC’s rapid response farm bill effort, it’s as simple as this: text “FARM” To 52886 or sign up here. We will be in touch ASAP with our first action. Share and stay tuned.
Please ask your Representative to save the following programs, all of which were zeroed out in the House farm bill draft:
The Farmers Market and Local Foods Promotion Program (FMLFPP) - which expands local direct-to-consumer markets and has created business opportunities for young farmers across the country
The National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (NOCCSP) - which helps young farmers afford the cost of certification to meet the growing demand for organic food
Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) - which helps young farmers across the country expand their customer base and diversify their income through value-added businesses.
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