Slow Food NYC hosts an annual Food Almanac event to raise awareness about and galvanize support for important food system issues. The Farm Bill is a critical legislative effort that affects everyone, and we centered this year’s Food Almanac event on the Farm Bill and ways the Slow Food community can get involved in its reauthorization.

Farm Bill Overview

The Farm Bill significantly impacts the American food system – it determines how much funding is available for on-farm conservation programs, the future of food access programs like SNAP, and the range of farmer safety nets, among many other initiatives on which farmers and consumers depend. Despite the importance of this legislation, the Farm Bill and its reauthorization process remain relatively obscure.

Perspectives on Farm and Food Policy

On April 17th, 2024, Slow Food NYC hosted distinguished guests Brian Solem (director of communications and advocacy for Slow Food USA), Tyler Edwards (Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition), and Monti Lawson (Founder and Lead Land Steward of Catalyst Collaborative Farm and Site Steward of WILDSEED Community Farm & Healing Village). You can watch the recording here.

Each speaker offered useful perspectives on the “Farm Bill” — the name given to a package of food and agriculture bills that is reauthorized every five years or so — and the importance of community action to influence future food and agriculture policy. Of particular concern is the need to pass a 2024 Farm Bill that has both inclusivity and sustainability — both environmental sustainability and operational sustainability for agricultural producers — at its heart.

Speaker Highlights & Opportunities for Action

Advocating for an inclusive and sustainable Farm Bill may seem daunting, but there are steps the Slow Food NYC community can take now to make it happen:

Tyler Edwards highlighted the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) Farm Bill “Week of Action” taking place right now. She elevated concerns about ag business consolidation and the current farm subsidy model, both of which have devastating impacts on small farmers and the environment. Negotiations are taking place that could reduce funding for historically successful, voluntary conservation programs while increasing subsidies that benefit less than 0.3 percent of the largest and wealthiest commodity farmers. Join the Week of Action to oppose this potential Farm Bill change.
Brian Solem called on the community to advocate for specific marker bills (marker bills are the dozen or so bills that comprise the final Farm Bill): the “Justice for Black Farmers Act,” the “Enhance Access to SNAP (EATS) Act,” the “Effective Food Procurement Act,” and the “Agriculture Resilience Act.” Slow Food USA has tips for taking action on the Farm Bill, especially once you know which marker bills mean the most to you. As a bonus, NSAC also supports the “AFFIRM Act.”
Monti Lawson emphasized the need for more funding for urban agriculture, encouraging the Slow Food network to call for sustained or increased budgets for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP).
Slow Food community members can also stay on top of Farm Bill movement by signing up for the Slow Food USA newsletter and the NSAC newsletter. You can also follow food and agriculture media like Politico’s Weekly Ag, the FERN, or local outlets like this one from Lancaster, PA.

The Future of Food

The Farm Bill is a complex collection of legislation, but it is worth learning about – after all, it directly impacts food production and access in the United States. It may be a national bill, but the effects are felt locally: for example, one in seven New Yorkers participate in SNAP, and most Farm Bill spending covers food access programs. Check out the Food Almanac recording to learn even more. The recording includes an overview of the Farm Bill, how it is developed, the role we as consumers and citizens play in the Farm Bill process, and how to effectively mobilize a grassroots policy effort.

There is a lot at stake with the current Farm Bill negotiations, and you can make a difference in what the final policy looks like. As Monti Lawson said during the event: everyone eats, so everyone’s voice needs to be heard throughout the Farm Bill process.

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Learn more about the Slow Food USA farm policy platform: https://slowfoodusa.org/food-farm-policy/