Learn about the farm bill

Posted

Thanks to The Leader for the recent article on Rep. Kilmer’s visit to Jefferson County at Finn River to hear farmers’’ concerns about the 2018 Farm Bill that recently passed out of the House. 

The bill’s provisions reducing low-income people’s access to fresh vegetables and fruits from our local farmers markets and farm stands and for SNAP is alarming and makes the next steps for this legislation important to us all. 

As well, the provisions of the bill that reduce help for small farmers and for farmers to transition to conservation farming using no-till, crop rotation and cover cropping, which are very important for soil health, conserving water, minimizing runoff into streams, rivers and oceans and generally improve our ability to feed ourselves, are shortsighted and alarming. 

I urge readers to learn more about the Farm Bill and how federal agricultural policies affect us all. You can learn more at the website of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Then contact Rep. Kilmer. I believe that he wants to hear from you.