new york state FARM BILL CAMPAIGN
The Farm Bill Campaign initiated in 2022, when Equity Advocates, Black Farmers United New York State, and Food for the Spirit co-led a months-long series of listening sessions, prioritizing hearing from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers, producers, and practitioners in New York State. Over 300 New Yorkers shared how the new Farm Bill could better support them in terms of land access, urban agriculture, climate change, nutrition, regional food systems, and more. The resulting policy platform called for the next Farm Bill to be a racial justice bill — one that invests in land stewardship and farmer training, strengthens community food infrastructure, makes USDA programs more accessible, and expands access to food assistance.
The Farm Bill is a federal law that governs our farm and food system — what kind of food farmers grow, how much it costs, who has access to land and resources to farm, and who benefits. The Farm Bill is usually renewed every five years and was up for reauthorization in September 2023. However, lawmakers have disagreed over funding and passed extensions for several years, meaning a new Farm Bill is long overdue.
We continue to advocate for a new Farm Bill as an opportunity to reshape our food system and strengthen local food systems and supply chains, reflecting the needs and vision of the 300 New Yorkers we originally gathered. An in-depth read of our 2023 policy platform can be found here.
