Final Farm Bill helps make way for healthy, fresh,
local foods

While a disappointment to those who hoped for more significant reform of our nation’s farm policies, the “Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008”—more commonly referred to as the 2008 Farm Bill—makes important incremental changes in support of local and organic food, conservation, and better agriculture policies. Also, there are new programs and funding for socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers, support for rural entrepreneurship, and reforms to improve fairness and market access in the livestock market.

Some highlights:

  • Significant new support for farmers' market promotion and development, creation of a Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center, increased financing opportunities for local food entrepreneurs, increased funding for community food projects, and targeted support for rural micro-businesses.
  • An overall increase in conservation program and farmland protection funding of more than $5 billion over 10 years and a new cooperative conservation partnership empowering local communities and farmers to address local and regional environmental needs.
  • More than $80 million in increased funding for organic agriculture research, certification cost-share, and related programs, plus a new conservation program to provide training and financial support for farmers making the transition to organic practices.
  • Significant outreach, accountability, and regulatory reforms to increase participation and improve access of beginning and socially disadvantaged producers to conservation, credit, and other federal farm programs, as well as $150 million over four years in targeted funding.
  • Several important provisions that improve the fairness of agricultural production contracts that increase the competitiveness and transparency of livestock markets.

For more information visit: www.farmandfoodproject.org

The alliance of organizations that helped advance these policies will be following their implementation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as monitoring their annual appropriations. Many will also be working on the reauthorization of WIC and other child nutrition programs, such as the federal school meal programs, in 2009.

We encourage you to learn more about Farm Bill implementation and other upcoming legislation through our partners:



Thank you again for your support,

The Farm and Food Policy Project Partners