National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
On Tuesday, November 1 Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and 35 original co-sponsors introduced the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act (S. 1773, H.R. 3286), a comprehensive bill intended for inclusion in the 2012 Farm Bill.
As the Senate and House Agriculture Committee leadership work to finalize their farm bill proposal for the Super Committee this week, NSAC and its allies will advocate for inclusion of the policy provisions in the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act into the farm bill.
On Thursday, November 3, NSAC and other farm and food organizations will host a Washington, D.C. fly-in for 50 farmers, ranchers, and other local and regional food advocates to voice support for the Local, Farms, Food, and Jobs Act.
The legislation helps farmers and ranchers by addressing production, aggregation, processing, marketing, and distribution needs to access growing local and regional food markets. The bill also assists consumers by improving access to healthy food. The measure provides secure farm bill funding for critically important programs that support family farms, expand new farming opportunities, create rural jobs, and invest in the local food and agriculture economy.
Co-sponsors of the bill at the time of introduction were Sens. Robert P. Casey (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), and Jon Tester (D-MT).
House co-sponsors include U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), David Cicilline (D-RI-1), Joe Courtney (D-CT-2), Peter DeFazio (D-OR-4), Keith Ellison (D-MN-5), Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11), Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ-7), Janice Hahn (D-CA-36), Brian Higgins (D-NY-27), Rush Holt (D-NJ-12), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9), Ron Kind (D-WI-3), Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH-10), Barbara Lee (D-CA-9), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM-3), Ed Markey (D-MA-7), Jim McGovern (D-MA-3), Mike Michaud (D-ME-20), Gwen Moore (D-WI-4), Jim Moran (D-VA-8), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-8), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-at large), John W. Olver (D-MA-1), Laura Richardson (D-CA-37), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP) Northern Mariana Islands, Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9), Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY-28), Peter Welch (D-VT-at large), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA-6).
Both the Senate and House bills are open for additional co-sponsors at any time.
Both Senator Brown and Representative Pingree issued press statements.
For more information on the bill and to take action, visit NSAC’s local food bill webpage.
For more information on a related bill backed by NSAC to gear the farm bill toward support for beginning farmers, go to our beginning farmer bill webpage.
