Take Action - 2023 Farm Bill

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Contact Your Elected Representatives TODAY and tell them
to Support Small Farms in the next Farm Bill!

Let’s do some math: Although small farms (under 180 acres) only cover 8% of agricultural land, they make up 20% of agricultural sales. Talk about small-yet-mighty! But get this: Although 70% of farms are small, they only receive 12% of government payments.

These farms need our help, and we’re running out of time. As farms consolidate, our country has been losing small- and medium-sized farms at an alarming rate. Between 2007 and 2022, we lost 200,000 farms. That type of loss has profound economic impacts on the rural communities that these farms once underpinned.

Small farms are essential to local and regional food supply chains, and bolster rural economies, food security, and community resilience. However, they don’t receive sufficient federal support because so many USDA programs are designed to be one-size-fits-all.

Now is your chance to help level the playing field for small farms!

Please click the link below TODAY to send a message to your elected representatives asking them to support the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act (S. 1809 / H.R. 3877). This legislation will make sure that USDA programs are tailored to fit ALL farms, and will even give direct technical and financial assistance to small-scale farmers and ranchers.

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Contact Your Elected Representatives TODAY and tell them to Support Small Farms in the next Farm Bill!

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Subject: Please Help Even the Playing Field for Small-Scale Farms and Ranches in the Next Farm Bill

Message:

Thank you for all that you do to support a viable and secure farm and food system. I am writing today as a constituent to encourage you to co-sponsor the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act (S. 1809 / H.R. 3877).

Simply put, our nation cannot afford to continue losing small farms at the current rate. As many of us learned in the early days of the pandemic, these farms are essential to local and regional supply chains and critical to our rural economies, food security, and community resilience. Economically, small farms also punch above their weight: although they only cover 8% of agricultural land, they make up 20% of agricultural sales.

Despite their importance to our rural communities, small-acreage farms face unique challenges and many still struggle to access USDA programs. Although they still represent 70% of all farms in the U.S., small acreage producers only receive 12% of government payments.

Establishing an Office of Small Farms would help to level the playing field and ensure that small farms have better access to the full suite of USDA programs and services and are factored into program rules and regulations. Not only would the Office of Small Farms make sure that USDA programs are working for small-scale farmers and ranchers, it would also deliver technical and financial assistance. This assistance—both direct and through partnerships—would help farmers purchase equipment, build viable businesses, adopt conservation practices, and more.

I urge you to co-sponsor this legislation and ensure it’s included in the new Farm Bill. Thank you for your time and consideration of this issue!

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Contact Your Elected Representatives TODAY and tell them to Support Small Farms in the next Farm Bill!

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