FACT Farmers Go To Washington!
Farmers to Congress: We Need Climate Solutions in the 2023 Farm Bill
By Samantha Gasson and Larissa McKenna, FACT’s Humane Farming Program team (published March 15, 2023)
Larissa, Sam and some of FACT’s farmers at the Rally for Resilience in Washington, D.C.
Last week was pretty exciting for those of us on FACT’s Humane Farming team … we went to Washington, D.C. And we brought over a dozen farmers with us!
If you’re like Samantha, images of strolls around the museums and leisurely walks down the Mall underneath blooming cherry trees spring to mind. If you’re like Larissa, it’s memories of her time living in our capital city. But we went to D.C. with an entirely different trip in mind. We went to rally, march, and advocate - and to bring farmer voices to the table as part of the Rally for Resilience!
Some of you may be familiar with the original farmer’s march (also referred to as Tractorcade) that took place in early 1979. Back then, nearly 3,000 farmers drove their tractors for days to reach our nation’s capital to bring attention to the farm crisis and urge support for family farms.
Last week’s rally was reminiscent of the 1979 mobilization (although this time with electric tractors!). Hundreds of farmers came together from across the country with a unified request for Congress – make climate change policy a priority in the 2023 Farm Bill! Our key asks included:
Farmer-Led Climate Solutions
Racial Justice in the Farm Bill
Communities, not Corporations
FACT farmers Mike Guebert (Terra Farma in Corbett, OR) and Chris Muse (Muse 3 Farm in Greensburg, LA) are among those holding the banner and leading the march (Photo credit: Farm Aid).
The three-day event included a rally, concert, march, press conference, and meetings with members of Congress. FACT worked hand-in-hand planning the events with many like-minded organizations, including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Farm Aid, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) – USA, HEAL Food Alliance, Kiss the Ground/Regenerate America, among others. It was truly a collaborative effort and generated lots of energy and momentum heading into “Farm Bill Season.”
One of the best parts was that we brought 13 amazing farmers from different parts of the country to D.C. They participated in 18 meetings with Congressional offices and the USDA - sharing the challenges they are facing on their operations due to climate change, and offering solutions. We urged policymakers to support grazing, local meat processing, and climate solutions in the 2023 Farm Bill.
Farmers and ranchers are awesome advocates for farm policy - and there is so much more we need to do to ensure that the next farm bill supports and invests in regenerative agriculture. If you’re interested in learning more about the 2023 Farm Bill and how you can advocate for humane farmers like the ones in our network, sign up for our farmer newsletter.
Read more about the rally and related events in Civil Eats, Modern Farmer, Lancaster Farming, Reuters, Good Stuff NW, and Billboard.
Scott Stirrup (Bull City Farm in Rougemont, NC), Beverly Blackwell Bowen (Blackwell’s Farm in Reidsville, NC ) and FACT’s Samantha Gasson before their meeting with Senator Tillis’ office.
FACT farmer Lindsay Klaunig (Trouvaille Farm in Athens, OH) participated in the press conference and talked about the climate challenges - and solutions - she is experiencing on her operation.