If fish could wail, they would scream over the lethal powers granted to the Environmental Protection Agency in part of the draft farm bill recently rolled out by the House Agriculture Committee. Read more >
Food and Agriculture
We need to fix our broken food system—and science can help us do it. UCS food experts highlight solutions to ensure that every American has access to healthy, green, fair, affordable food.
Subscribe to our Food and Agriculture feed
Latest Food and Agriculture Posts
The New Farm Bill’s Pesticide Provisions are a Sneak Attack on the Environment
Derrick Z. Jackson, fellow
May 10, 2018 1:41 PM EDT
Local produce, sold through direct-to-consumer channels like farmers markets and community supported agriculture programs, is often sold at a price premium. But does that premium impact farmers’ bottom line? Photo: Todd Johnson/ Oklahoma State University.
Do Local Food Markets Support Profitable Farms and Ranches?
Becca B.R. Jablonski, Dawn Thilmany McFadden, Allie Bauman, Dave Shideler, UCS Science Network, UCS
April 26, 2018 2:13 PM EDT
How many times have you heard that when you shop locally, farmers win? Families shop at farmers markets, school districts procure locally-grown and raised items, and restaurants curate seasonal menus at least in part because they believe they are supporting the economic viability of local producers. But do we have evidence that these local markets actually provide economic benefits to farmers and ranchers? Read more >
Photo courtesy Flickr/Lance Cheung, USDA
Will Congress Give Farmers the Farm Bill They Want?
Karen Perry Stillerman, senior analyst, Food and Environment
April 18, 2018 9:16 AM EDT
Last week, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee made headlines by unveiling a truly terrible farm bill proposal. In stark contrast, a poll released today shows that farmers across the political spectrum are eager for precisely the kind of tools and incentives House Republicans have firmly turned their backs on. Read more >
House Committee on Agriculture Chair Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) opens the hearing with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue in Washington, D.C., May 17, 2017. (Photo: USDA/public domain)
SNAP Work Requirements Provoke Broad Opposition to House Farm Bill
Sarah Reinhardt, Food Systems & Health Analyst
April 16, 2018 4:29 PM EDT
The nutrition title of the draft farm bill released by the House last Thursday is an affront to millions of individuals and families across the country—many of whom are part of the electorate that put our current political leaders in office. Despite an outcry of opposition from advocacy groups, the public, and Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee, it appears that Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) is prepared to push through a bill that would be devastating to rural and urban communities alike. Read more >
Photo: US Air Force
SNAP already has work requirements. Adding more won’t solve poverty.
Sarah Reinhardt, Food Systems & Health Analyst
April 12, 2018 9:31 AM EDT
On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order calling for a review of the nation’s federal safety net, with the stated aim of “moving people into the workforce and out of poverty.” This is almost certainly thinly veiled code language for additional work requirements in programs that serve millions of low-income individuals and families, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
