Minnesota stakeholders have been waiting in uncertainty for Congress to pass a new Farm Bill, which will have a huge impact on farm, food and nutrition policy. After missing the deadline to come to a new deal in 2023, Congress voted to extend the current 2018 Farm Bill through September 2024—providing some ability to plan, but locking in a status quo that leaves many Minnesotans behind, including participants in the Women, Infants, Children (WIC) program, diversified farmers who are ineligible for traditional crop insurance programs and farmers who are closed out of conservation cost-share programs.
Community-rooted Minnesota farm and food systems organizations are working to make sure that Farm Bill policies and programs: increase financial and capacity investments in infrastructure, small and mid-size processing and market development statewide; Enable land access and farm viability for emerging farmers; leverage Minnesota agriculture to create positive climate and ecosystem impact; and link nutrition and food access needs to Minnesota agricultural producers. Watch the recording of the webinar to hear about what comes next, what the potential impact on Minnesota’s farmers and eaters will be, and how you can stay informed on new Farm Bill developments.
Presenters
Moderator: Erin McKee, Community Food Systems Program Director, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
DeVon Nolen, Founder/Market Manager for The Peoples' Market MPLS
Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities, IATP
Amanda Koehler, Policy Manager, Land Stewardship Project
Leah Gardner, Policy Director, Hunger Solutions
Erin Parker, Executive Director, Indigenous Food & Agriculture Initiative, University of Arkansas
