AFA’s draft legislation, the “Farm and Ranch Mobility Solutions Act” (FARMS) is for American farmers wanting to transition or diversify into growing fiber-rich food crops. With FARMS, farmers will have options to participate in the fast-growing plant-based food industry. As they diversify, they’ll alleviate America’s dietary fiber crisis. Read more about the FARMS Act here.
The following are recommendations that can prioritize sustainable fiber-rich foods in title 1 farm programs. Lentils and chickpeas are fiber-rich foods that Americans would do well to eat more of. Yet, farm spending on these two crops pales in comparison to support for corn, soy, and wheat – three crops that tend to be stripped […]
The following are recommendations that can prioritize sustainable fiber-rich foods in farm policy. In general, AFA supports Title 2 recommendations from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy so we include them here. For reference: CRS Report on Title II ‘Conservation’ of the 2018 Farm Bill. Solutions Needed from USDA […]
Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops “TASC” AFA recommends increasing funding of the program titled “Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops” (TASC) in order to expand export opportunities for agricultural producers of fiber-rich food crops. Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) (§3201e) provides funding to eligible U.S. organizations for projects that address existing and potential sanitary, phytosanitary, […]
The following recommendations prioritize sustainable fiber-rich foods in nutrition programs. Create a task force whose mission is to strategically guide implementation and expansion of a nutrition incentives model into SNAP. Update eligible SNAP-authorized retailer definitions to include more accessible models like mobile markets and health food trucks. Permanently increase SNAP benefits. Prioritize a Child Nutrition […]
The Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-355) named USDA as the lead federal agency for rural development. RD is the mission area within USDA responsible for rural infrastructure and economic development assistance. Three agencies comprise RD: the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, the Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). RD programs are […]
AFA recommends prioritizing fiber-rich foods in the research programs of Title VII. Increase funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. Increase funding for the Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agricultural Initiative. Increase funding for Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE). Prioritize projects under SARE whose research would advance understanding of farm transitions toward sustainable fiber-rich food […]
The following recommendations prioritize fiber-rich foods in title 10 ‘Horticulture’ programs. Permanently lower match requirements for FMPP and LFPP to no more than 10% in the next farm bill. Authorize & appropriate at least $200 million per year for LAMP. Increase resources for no-cost grant application assistance for LAMP programs. The Horticulture title (title 10) […]
The following are recommendations that can prioritize sustainable fiber-rich foods in farm policy. Add fiber-rich food crops to eligible crop insurance list. Encourage crop diversity by incentivizing the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program. Over the past decades, efforts have been made to expand federal crop insurance. Measures such as the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and […]
Amend the FOTO subsection to include a program to assist livestock farmers seeking to transition to or diversify with plant crops (the FARMS Act). Appropriate $100 million or more per year for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. Pay Office of UAIP advisors an annual stipend. Offer matching grants for the purchase of […]