As Congress prepares to reauthorize the food and farm bill, discussions surrounding its content have already begun, presenting a significant opportunity for experts, advocates, and individuals to bring about transformative change within the US food system. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is actively working to ensure that the next food and farm bill reflects the impact of crucial issues such as racial equity, climate, conservation, and nutrition. They have spent months refining their goals for the bill.

UCS has outlined several key objectives they hope the next food and farm bill will achieve. Firstly, they aim to build a resilient food and farm system that can withstand the effects of climate change. This involves allocating strong funding towards scientific research, equity, and climate-focused federal programs, as well as supporting government initiatives that protect land conservation and soil health.

Another important goal is to enhance economic opportunities for farmers, particularly those from Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color (BIPOC). Historically, Black farmers have faced discrimination from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The next food and farm bill should address these harmful impacts by expanding credit assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers, ensuring equitable access to crop insurance, and making USDA programs accessible and accountable to the next generation of farmers.

UCS also emphasizes the need to ensure the safety and dignity of food and farm workers. They advocate for measures that prioritize workers’ safety, guarantee access to benefits such as sick days and family leave, and establish partnerships between USDA and organizations that advocate for workers’ rights.

Furthermore, UCS aims to increase access to healthy food for all individuals. They believe everyone should have the right to affordable, nutritious meals. To achieve this goal, the next food and farm bill should strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), protect it from funding cuts or changes, support local-food programs and farmers’ markets, and encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables in government food security programs.

The path ahead to make the next food and farm bill truly transformational requires significant effort. UCS highlights that several marker bills, which serve as blueprints for the larger legislation, have already been introduced by food security advocates in Congress. These marker bills align with many of the changes UCS hopes to see in the food and farm bill and are moving forward independently. UCS endorses these marker bills, such as the Agriculture Resilience Act, Justice for Black Farmers Act, and Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act, among others. They will work with allies in Congress to ensure these bills are incorporated into the final food and farm bill.

To contribute to the process, individuals can reach out to their senators and representatives, urging them to cosponsor and support the marker bills mentioned above and advocate for their inclusion in the final legislation. UCS encourages following their blog and social media accounts to stay informed about developments related to the food and farm bill in the coming months.