In 2023, while Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour is making waves, there is another event taking place that is less captivating but incredibly significant: the Farm Bill. Considered by some as a relic of the New Deal Era, the Farm Bill holds billions of dollars for anti-hunger and agricultural programs. However, it has the potential to be an essential tool in addressing the climate crisis if it includes provisions for climate action. Advocates are pushing for the inclusion of climate-friendly practices supported by the USDA.
The interest in agriculture as a means of climate mitigation is a much-needed and overdue shift. However, simply providing funding to sustain our current industrial farming model will perpetuate the very system that is driving climate change. The real solution lies in a transformative shift towards an agriculture that not only feeds people but also cools the planet. To achieve this, it is crucial to listen to the demands of young farmers.
Young farmers are stepping forward to grow nutritious food using sustainable methods. They are a diverse group, with a significant representation of women, which better reflects our country’s demographics compared to previous generations. As a result, they are more likely to be alarmed by climate change and demand action.
Young farmers can be our beacon of hope in avoiding another Dust Bowl, capturing carbon, and feeding our population sustainably. However, there is a significant obstacle in their path: we have set them up for failure.
The National Young Farmers Coalition recently conducted a survey that revealed the urgent challenges young farmers face. These challenges include limited access to land, inadequate access to capital, high healthcare costs, a lack of affordable housing, the exorbitant cost of production, student loan debt, climate change, immigration issues, and limited access to federal programs. Many young farmers, particularly women and non-white farmers, feel the disproportionate impact of climate change. These vulnerabilities underscore the fragility of our farming system.
At present, the lack of available farmland is the biggest barrier for young farmers entering the field, and it is the primary reason why many young farmers eventually leave the profession. Given the low numbers of young farmers currently in the industry, it is difficult to view them as a significant force for change.
However, there is an opportunity for transformation. It is estimated that nearly half of the farmland in the U.S. will change ownership in the next few decades as the older generation of farm owners retires. Instead of selling this land to private investors, why not facilitate its transition to young, diverse farmers who possess the ecological skills necessary for climate-resilient farming?
This is the vision behind the One Million Acres for the Future Campaign, which calls on Congress to make a historic investment in the 2023 Farm Bill. The campaign aims to provide equitable access to one million acres of land for the next generation of farmers.
Without long-term access to suitable farmland, young farmers cannot be expected to succeed. Affordable housing is also crucial, as it allows young farmers and farmworkers to live near or on their farms, reducing commuting distances and providing them with stability. As farmers increasingly find themselves on the frontlines of climate change, including exposure to toxic smoke from wildfires, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to establish a life and steward climate-resilient land in the long run.
Congress has the opportunity to support the One Million Acres Campaign and implement the policy recommendations outlined in the Young Farmer Agenda for the 2023 Farm Bill, as well as consider land back movements that address the needs of farmers of color. Advocating for urban planning that includes access to land and housing for farmers within our communities is another way to support local young farmers.
By bolstering the lives of the people dedicating themselves to essential agricultural work, we increase our chances of producing food in a way that cools the planet. With adequate support, young farmers have the potential to lead us towards a just and climate-resilient food system. Failing to do so would mean perpetuating an unsustainable approach.
This column is part of the Progressive Perspectives project by The Progressive magazine and has been distributed by Tribune News Service.
