Critics are lining up for the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill.
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union President Marc Perrone said the committee-passed farm bill “fails food workers and the communities they serve.”
“This bill, in addition to cutting SNAP benefits over time, does far too little for the millions of food workers who are drivers of this economy,” Perrone said in a press statement. “Our members do essential work picking, processing, selling, and serving our food. Their voices and concerns deserve to be an essential part of agriculture policy, not ignored entirely.
“The Senate Agriculture Committee framework is the kind of proposal to keep farmers farming, families fed, and rural communities and food workers strong,” Perrone continued. “The UFCW calls on the House to work with their Senate counterparts to write a better farm bill that keeps food workers and the communities they serve at the forefront of the conversation.”
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association said in a news release that the bill does not do enough to “level the playing field for farmers, protect vital nutrition support, and equip producers with tools to address the climate crisis.”
“We are glad to see Congress taking action on the farm bill but cannot support the House bill in its current form,” Khara Strum, the association’s executive director, said in the release. “Farmers deserve a forward-thinking farm bill that shapes a more resilient food system and promotes fairness, equitability, and accessibility for all producers.”
The bill does not do enough for the local food system and organic agriculture, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Policy Director Milo Petruziello said in the release.
“It’s important that investments in these vital local food programs and technical assistance continue to bolster our local economies and keep our local food systems resilient for years to come,” Petruziello said.
The demand for organic products is growing, and producers need support to meet this demand, though the House draft provides no new money for the National Organic Program and organic cost share, Petruziello said.
“Organic farmers want — and deserve — funding and resources that allow them to continue to provide economic, environmental and health benefits for our communities,” Petruziello said. “The industry is rapidly growing, yet many organic farmers in Ohio still struggle with low prices and fickle markets because organic hasn’t received the same levels of public investments as other segments of our agricultural system.”
