I, with Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, seek a Farm Bill that:
Increases Equitable and Just Land Transition. Supporting land succession that helps producers retire and provides affordable and equitable access for new, beginning, and historically marginalized farmers and land stewards. Fund and support programs that provide grants and loans, agricultural easements, farmer to farmer education, and technical assistance to increase land transition and access that encourages smaller, sustainable models of agriculture.
Supports the development of rural economies and communities in ways that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing funds for and access to programs that increase affordable rural housing powered by clean and efficient energy and heating and cooling systems; grows electric vehicle charging infrastructure in rural places; supports rural hospitals to transition to clean energy; creates more walkable and bikeable rural communities, encourages infill, mixed use, and brownfield redevelopment; increases green infrastructure; extends broadband; funds the establishment of additional natural landscapes in rural communities; Provides increased technical assistance to enable faster and easier access to USDA funds for rural communities on these things.
Moves conservation funds from the Inflation Reduction Act to the permanent Farm Bill funding baseline.
Supports and expands local food systems by increasing food sovereignty and ensuring the ability of communities to produce, procure, and distribute high quality nutritious foods. Grow opportunities for entrepreneurship and careers in food and agriculture. Increase funding and program support for programs such as farmers markets, fruit and vegetable producers, small and mid-sized meat processing, heirloom grain processing, etc.
Shifts power (funding and resources) towards more beneficial practices that promote ecosystem and human health.
Shifts power to farmers and people in rural communities and away from consolidated power and corporate control in agriculture and food systems. We seek to democratize the Farm Bill, both in the process of drafting the Farm Bill and the outcomes it creates, so that more people inform and benefit from the Farm Bill’s programs.
Accelerates the transition to true, clean renewable energy on farms and in rural communities. Making it easier to access funds from USDA programs that will increase wind, solar, geothermal, energy efficiency and battery storage on farms and in rural communities; Increasing funds and access to programs that help farms and rural communities decrease energy costs.