FERN, the Food and Environment Reporting Network, is ready for the upcoming farm bill vote, releasing the 7+ minute long video “What is the farm bill and why does it matter?”

Congress takes up the farm bill every 5 years or so, and this huge piece of legislation is critically important to American agriculture, providing subsidies and insurance access to farmers to see them through hard years.  It also creates the legislative structure for the SNAP program that distributes $$ for the food stamp program to state governments.  Plus, the farm bill includes environmental protection measures for wildlife and soil, water, and air quality.

The new FERN video is a great overview of this complex legislation, with clever graphics that help tell the story of how the farm bill was developed and how it helps support American farmers, feed the hungry, and protect the environment.

Watch and share this new resource, and stay tuned for news on how the current political climate will shape the next farm bill.

Source:

Bridget Huber, “What is the farm bill and why does it matter?,” Food and Environment Reporting Network, June 12, 2018.