Agenda & Bios
contact Laura (laura@agriculturefairnessalliance.org) to make changes to the information about you on this page. You can also text me / contact me on signal at 408 442 7828.
Language Tips
Focus on solutions; let problems & blame be inferred
| SAY | AVOID SAYING |
| Farm Spending / Federal Farm Spending / Taxpayer investments in the food system | Subsidies / handouts / welfare |
| Equity | Inequity |
| Fiber-rich foods / Fruits & Vegetables / Legumes | Livestock / animal products / animal feed |
| Empower Communities / Develop food supply resiliency | Corporate corruption |
| Underappreciated/underprioritized | Disadvantaged, underserved |
| Fiber-rich food is the key to human health | any mention of old people / Metamucil / constipation lol |
Why the items on the left? We want you packing their heads with imagery and words they can stand up and cheer for. If you mention any of the things on the right, we’ll be battling against those ‘problems’ the whole way and lose people. This isn’t about taking anything away from anyone, it’s about ensuring that fiber-rich food producers, processors, retailers etc get at least as much access to USDA programs as anybody else. Equal access to risk mitigation tools, lines of credit, technical advice, diversification funding, disaster relief, and trade representation.
Key Facts
Testimony and Evidence << @panelists – add your charts, data, facts, citations, & comments here. We will make this available to attendees to reference during the meeting.
- Americans spend $1.5 trillion on healthcare every year, $384 billion on diet-related diseases. 42% of that $384 billion is paid for with American tax dollars via Medicare & Medicaid.1
- Lack of dietary fiber is directly linked to developing these diet-related diseases2
- Americans are consuming only half the dietary fiber they need.3
- The American food system is supplying only half the dietary fiber that Americans need, after accounting for waste and spoilage,4 and even less is getting to communities who find themselves in areas with limited access to grocery stores.
Resources
- AFA Letter to the USDA
- Senate Ag Committee Hearing “The State of Nutrition in America 2021”. On Nov 2, 2021, Senators Booker, Braun, and Leahy held a hearing where many points and recommendations tee up AFA’s Case for prioritizing fiber in farm policy.
- American Heart Association 2021 Dietary Guidance for Cardiovascular Health
- On August 17, 2021, the Government Accountablility Office put out a report tiltled “Chronic Health Conditions: Federal Strategy Needed to Coordinate Diet-Related Efforts.” Here is their ultimate recommendation:
Congress should consider identifying and directing a federal entity to lead the development and implementation of a federal strategy to coordinate diet-related efforts that aim to reduce Americans’ risk of chronic health conditions. The strategy could incorporate elements from the 2011 National Prevention Strategy and should address outcomes and accountability, resources, and leadership. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Chronic Health Conditions:Federal Strategy Needed to Coordinate Diet-Related Efforts
GAO-21-593
AFA’s Message
While proposed solutions from both forums encompass everything from research to education, AFA suggests that if the USDA and Congress set one proxy goal – a single goal that every single employee at USDA can keep in mind to aim us toward solving the nutrition crisis in America – it would be to prioritize naturally fiber-rich foods.
Dietary fiber is a proxy for ‘nutrition’.
When people eat naturally fiber-rich foods, a whole lot of other good nutrition comes along for the ride including phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. In order to simplify everyday decision making among USDA policymakers & implementers, simply prioritizing dietary fiber will
It’s not just about production. Just as important are processing, manufacturing, distributing. And all of this needs to be using sustainable methods as we face numerous environmental crises, and preferably by empowering local communities to implement the solutions as we face disruptions in global supply chains. Sustainable, local, community-empowered fiber-rich food policy can make Americans resilent as we face future challenges on all of these fronts.
Inviting People to the Dec 13 session
This is an invitation-only event, and we trust you to invite appropriate guests. Send them this registration link so we can track the guest list.
Dec 13 Case for Dietary Fiber in Farm Policy Registration Link
Some more Resources
- https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-21-593
- “Dietary fiber found in plant foods… is consistently inversely associated with lower risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiometabolic risk, and CVD” https://professional.heart.org/en/guidelines-and-statements/guidelines-and-statements-search
- https://sites.tufts.edu/nutrition/winter-2019/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-fiber
- https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/dietary-fiber-us-food-supply