Mobilizing family farmers, fishers, and ranchers for fair prices, vibrant communities, and healthy foods free of corporate domination.

July Newsletter

NFFC staff visits Carlin Farm in Meshoppen, PA.

From left: Don Carlin, Gerald Carlin, Meg Stratton, & Lisa Griffith.

New Legislation Endorsed by NFFC

🌱 Farmland for Farmers Act (S.2583)

Accessing affordable farmland is the top challenge for young and beginning farmers and ranchers, and increasing land consolidation trends are a worsening problem for family farmers across the US. Corporate buyers undercut family farmers using extractive, often predatory investment methods to purchase huge amounts of farmland at the expense of rural communities.

The Farmland for Farmers Act puts a stop to these practices and prevents large corporations from buying up more farmland. When farmland is locally held by farmers, we all benefit!

💸 Fair Credit for Farmers Act (S. 2668)

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is a crucial service for farmers in the US, providing agricultural loans that producers rely on to fund their businesses - especially family-scale, young, and beginning farmers and farmers of color. Like other lenders, FSA has been criticized for unfair lending practices and bureaucratic red tape that makes farmers jump through hoops to get a loan.

The Fair Credit for Farmers Act of 2023 (S.2668) makes important improvements to services offered by the FSA, reinforcing our government’s commitment to all U.S. farmers. Accessible, fair, and transparent farm lending helps rural communities and farm businesses thrive!

News From the Field

Standing with Allies in Protest of the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment

The United Nations (UN) just held a follow-up Stocktaking Moment to its 2021 UN Food System Summit. NFFC and allies reaffirmed our objections to continued corporate control in global policy spaces, including the Summit and the Stocktaking Moment. Multi-national corporations continue to wield undue influence and consistently promote industrial agricultural methods as a way to solve global hunger and combat climate change.

We cannot produce our way out of the hunger and climate crises. Instead, we urge the UN to look to the leadership of peasants and rural communities in order to solve these problems.

Photo by the People's Autonomous Response to the UN Food Systems Summit

Members and Staff Prepare for 2023's Summer Gathering

From August 9th through 11th, NFFC staff, board members, and representatives from member organizations will gather in Des Moines, Iowa, for our annual summer meeting. This year, our theme is "Seeding Our Future", focusing on hope and renewal for the upcoming year.

The weeklong retreat is an opportunity to connect with each other, reflect on the past year's shared work, and build collective strategy and energy for new goals and next steps. We will also review NFFC's Strategic Plan, which was first completed five years ago. Make sure to keep an eye out for updates and photos after the retreat!

Photo by Samantha Cave of 2022 Gathering.

News From Our Members

Defend the Packers and Stockyards Act Rules

The Packers and Stockyards Act, a landmark law intended to protect farmers and ranchers from abusive and anti-competitive behavior, is under attack! Ask the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations to remove a harmful bill rider that would allow abusing corporate conduct to continue unchecked. Personalize a ready-made action alert from RAFI-USA and tell your representatives it’s time for a more just and equitable food system.

Support the Improving ARCTIC Act

NAMA and Don't Cage Our Oceans have endorsed the Improving ARCTIC Act, introduced by Senator Murkowski (AK). The Act ensures that major resources go to enhance local and regional seafood supply chains (both wild-caught and mariculture) and that we prohibit factory fish farms in federal waters. Read a summary of the Bill, which includes other great provisions as well, like the required labeling of GE fish. Help share this bill, and ask your legislators to support it!

National Family Farm Coalition

110 Maryland Ave NE #307

Washington, DC 20002