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Farm
and Food Policy Project
Agriculture
is the root of a nation’s economic activity. As the market
landscape of agriculture and the food system changes, American
farmers and ranchers are presented with many new opportunities
and challenges. The renewal of federal farm bill in 2007 creates
a rare opportunity to rebuild US farm and food policies to
better serve the full spectrum of American farmers and ranchers
as well as the diverse interests and needs of citizens and
communities across the country.
The Farm
and Food Policy Project is a collaborative effort of diverse
organizations working towards a more sustainable food and
agricultural system for the United States. Underlying the
project's dialogue is a shared set of beliefs and values,
which are:
* A
widespread and diverse family farm system benefits rural communities
and society as a whole;
* Extensive hunger and food insecurity in the United States
are unacceptable;
* Strong stewardship commitments are key to maintaining farm
and food systems into the future that will promote environmental
and public health for our children;
* Stimulating new markets and restoring competition to the
marketplace are vital to a fair, sustainable food system;
* Rectifying historic patterns of discrimination and making
farm and food policies more responsive to an increasingly
diverse society are critically important; and
* Rural and urban communities can work together to create
a healthier food system.
The FFPP
believes that all the major sections of the Farm Bill - commodity,
nutrition, rural development, credit, conservation, research,
and energy - hold significant opportunities for crafting more
cost-effective and higher-impact policies that can increase
farm profitability and improve the health of individuals,
communities, and the environment.
The Northeast-Midwest
Institute is the facilitator of the Farm and Food Policy Project’s
consensus-building process. For more information, contact
Allen Hance (ahance@nemw.org).
Farm and Food
Policy Project Web-site
Publications:
Related Briefings:
Farmers Markets & Public Markets:
Small Investments, Big Results (June 27, 2006)
Leveraging Local Food Systems for Healthy
Farms and Healthy Communities (June 13, 2006)
For more
information, contact Allen Hance (ahance@nemw.org) and visit
the project’s website: www.farmandfoodproject.org.
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