Agriculture

Revisiting Crisis by Design: Introduction

As we enter a new decade, farmers are once again in crisis. Stories in the news point to rising bankruptcies in the dairy sector and the chaos in commodity markets created by Trump’s trade skirmishes. Presidential candidates are getting an earful from farmers and rural communities, and new ideas are on the table.

Revisiting Crisis by Design: Agriculture and water quality

Dramatic increases in agricultural use of chemicals and fertilizers and growing concentration of livestock production since the 1980s, linked to increasing farm size and the shift from family farms to larger corporate agribusiness, have worsened water pollution.

Revisiting Crisis by Design: Race, ethnicity, gender analysis and crisis by design

Racial, ethnic and gender-based disparities in the U.S. agricultural and food system are most visible when we consider farm ownership and income farm operations.

Revisiting Crisis by Design: Globalization

The consolidation of global and bilateral free trade agreements has empowered corporations to operate seamlessly across borders to the detriment of farmers and the environment.

Revisiting Crisis by Design: Agricultural commodity exposure to financial market instruments and risks

The interconnectedness between farmers and the financial system, as well as between agricultural commodities and price risk management tools, has increased dramatically in recent years.

Revisiting Crisis By Design

Meat Plant Closings Show Fragility of “Get Big” System, Say Midwest Family Farm Groups

Global players forced small meatpacking plants out, farmers and workers pay the price

NSAC Joins With More Than 750 Organizations Calling on USDA to Provide Direct Aid to Farmers Who Rely on Local and Regional Markets

Washington, DC, April 9, 2020 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and more than 750 farm and food system organizations from all across the country joined their voices in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue calling on the U.S.

Midwest Family Farm Groups Want Aid to Get to People, Not Global Agribusiness

Family farm based organizations in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota sent a letter to Congress today calling for strong oversight of the recently passed COVID-19 aid package to ensure the U.S.