Access to healthy food is a fundamental part of healthy communities and agriculture is a cornerstone of our economy. Rising food prices and climate impacts have made it harder for American families to put food on the table and for farmers to make a living growing the food we need.
Every five years, Congress passes a new Farm Bill – a legislative package that directly impacts the agricultural industry and dictates how farms across the U.S. operate, how and what types of crops are grown, and more. The Farm Bill includes important programs that Michiganders rely on, from healthy food assistance for low-income residents and crop insurance to farmers, to agricultural training programs and more sustainable farming practices.
Throughout her career, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has been a primary architect of the Farm Bill, consistently making sure American farmers have the resources they need to put food on our tables while pushing for sustainability and the protection of our natural resources. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed last year, there is $20 billion in climate-smart agriculture and conservation funding on the table for the 2023 Farm Bill to ensure we meet our agricultural needs while making farming practices more sustainable and combating the climate crisis in the process.
It is crucial that Congress takes full advantage of the funding for conservation measures and climate-conscious agricultural programs to expand sustainable farming practices that will help us combat the climate crisis while putting healthy food on our tables.