Support the Farm Bill: for a food system that is healthy, fair, affordable, and sustainable

When you walk through a grocery store or sit down at a restaurant, you’re probably not thinking about the Farm Bill. Yet this massive piece of legislation has a huge impact on what kind of food is available, how much it costs, and how it’s grown. Congress votes on the Farm Bill every five years and the most recent version is set to expire later this year—so this is a rare opportunity for us to push for smart, science-based solutions that will help farmers, eaters, and communities. In fact a first draft of the bill is expected to be unveiled any day now. From farm to fork, we need to fight for a food system that supports farmers, makes healthy food available for everyone, and protects the environment we all depend on.

There are a lot of exciting Farm Bill proposals on the table this year, including one that would make healthy foods affordable for more consumers and deliver greater profits for farmers who grow those foods. But a first draft of the bill could come out any day and we're hearing it will likely include shortsighted and devastating cuts to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), which helps families put food on their tables and has lifted millions out of poverty. Write your legislators today and demand a Farm Bill and a food system that helps farmers succeed and makes nutritious food available to everyone.

Read Article: Trump’s EPA Chief is Reshaping Food and Farming: What You Need to Know

- Union of Concerned Scientists 

For even more impact, feel free to personalize the letter posted below:

Dear (Member of Congress)

As your constituent, I’m writing to ask you to support policies in the 2018 Farm Bill that will help provide healthy food access for everyone.  

Specifically, I urge you to strongly support:

1. Provisions from the bipartisan Local FARMS Act, which would expand markets for small and mid-size farmers and make healthy food more affordable and accessible.  With new investments to connect producers and consumers, this proposal would help all families—including seniors, veterans, and those in low-income communities—to put fresh, healthy food on their tables.

2. No cuts or changes that would decrease access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),  a smart long-term investment with an excellent track record of alleviating hunger and poverty. Cuts to SNAP will increase hunger for tens of millions of Americans, including children and the elderly, in rural and urban communities nationwide.

I believe in supporting farmers and ensuring that everyone has access to fresh and healthy food. The Local FARMS Act and SNAP provide immense health and economic benefits to my community.