We are more than two years overdue on passing a complete Farm Bill, actual farm bills (expenses) are rising, and everyone wants to change the way Americans eat. But are they talking to the family farmers who make up our domestic food system? Part of CFA’s mission is to make sure farmers get a voice with their representatives, and this month, we had the privilege of attending the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s member meeting in Washington DC, including taking some amazing farmers with us: Josh and Bittany Johnston of of Windy Hill Farm + Home in Henderson, KY. Josh and Brittany are beginning farmers, but with farming in their heritage. They not only raise conventional row crops in Henderson, KY but also grow 25 acres of vegetables for sale to their community, including schools. Over and over, they told congressmen and congressional staff “We just want a fair opportunity with our specialty crops.’
Brittany and Josh started growing vegetables in 2020, and by 2021 they were selling at the farmers market. By 2023, they left their full-time jobs working for a large crop products supplier to become full-time farmers. Part of what made that possible was the Local Food for School program, which provided federal money to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, which then helped schools use it to buy locally-grown farm food. Josh said they want to be farmers who help their community be healthy. “Once we got our foot in the door of the school system, and they saw the quality of products, they decided to keep buying from us whether or not there was federal money. But we needed that program to help us get started.” Today, thanks in part to that opportunity, their farm not only provides jobs for themselves, but also for several others. In addition to the Johnstons, CFA staff members Laurie White and Myrisa Christy joined the delegation in DC.
The group visited Kentucky Congressman James Comer in his DC office. Josh and Brittany shared the impacts of federal investment in local foods for Kentucky schools and requested the Congressman’s support on H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act. The group also met with staff in Senator McConnell’s and Senator Paul’s offices to request support for the senate’s version of the bill, S.2338, the Strengthening Local Food Security Act. “Previous cooperative agreements that allocated funds to Kentucky to purchase local farm foods were very popular and successful,” said Laurie White. “In Kentucky, those investments supported 148 farms who don’t benefit from most federal farm subsidies.”
“Getting to hear family farmers talk to our representatives about the challenges facing their farm, and what they need to be successful is at the foundation of CFA’s work,” said Myrisa Christy. “And, we literally put in the footwork – we each got over 17,000 steps making sure Brittany and Josh told their story to multiple lawmakers in both the House and Senate.”
What can you do?
Since our DC trip, the House has released a draft of the Farm Bill that includes the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act (HR 4782) in SEC 4306. From “back of the napkin” calculations, at its current allocation, it could provide approximately $3 million a year for Kentucky to run programs that directly support schools and food banks by purchasing from local farmers. The Senate Ag Committee has yet to rel\=-ease its Farm Bill text. To press for this local food provision to be included on the Senate side also, send a message to Senator McConnell to co-sponsor S.2338, the Strengthening Local Food Security Act. You can use the Senator’s contact form to request his support or ask to meet with his staff in one of his 6 local offices.