The decisions made inside the White House, State Capitols and even County Offices have tremendous
impact on how we farm. Ecological incentives, resources, minimum wage requirements, and market
prices are just a few of the countless facets our government influences agricultural.
Legislature can offer protection and support, but it can also overlook realities felt by the
farmer, particularly that of the smaller, ecological grower. This is precisely why it’s important
for farmers to voice their experiences and needs.
I spoke with Paul Towers, Organizing Director & Policy Advocate at
Pesticide
Action Network for advice on how farmers can let their voice be heard. He outlines that each
type of legislation has different processes, “as you move up in government, they become increasingly
more inaccessible.”
The takeaway is that you’re more likely to influence change on the state level. There’s a reason
“all politics is local” is a popular catchphrase at all levels of government.
What about the upcoming Farm Bill?
But first, let’s provide a quick primer of the Farm Bill. The
Farm
Bill is vast, often confusing, influential and looming as we await the new 2018 version. If you
want to learn more about what it is check out the
National
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s info page for a great synopsis; for a diagram of the
procedures, check out
this
visual put out by Congresswoman Pingree in Maine.
Towers offers a breakdown of how the Farm Bill process works, “Typically a proposal is presented,
then debated through various committees (which is when you should weigh in--call!), and then goes to
the floor in congress.” What’s tricky is that the timeline for all of this is elusive. “There were
talks of a proposal being presented as far back as last October, and now there are hints of a
mid-February release but we really don’t know.”
No one can really predict when the 2018 Farm Bill will be introduced, and it’s heavily skewed
toward DC insiders. Paul also points out that “the current congress is not holding public hearings
the way we’ve seen in the past, so there’s great concern that the window for feedback may be very
narrow.” The best thing you can do is voice your opinions and concerns now, before the Bill even
comes out. Growers are often not heard enough throughout this process. Whether you rally together
with other farmers around a cause or send a out a simple “Tweet,” remember that our legislators are
here to represent you -- they need to listen to your concerns!
Given the inherent limitation of a farmer’s time and resources, I’ve outlined some quick, easy, and
accessible
methods for the greatest impact.
Know your representatives
To find out who your legislative representatives are, simply type in your address
here.
Clicking on each legislator will disclose all contact information, their committee affiliations,
bills they’ve sponsored, and how they’ve recently voted. “Get to know a little bit about their
background, so you know how to reach them on issues that matter to you. The best way to communicate
is to tell a good story” says Paul. Make sure you are clear on what you’d like to say, and on how
you can introduce your story in a way that will resonate with them.
Know how to reach them
In person is always the most effective method, short of a phone call, followed by a letter, then an
email. Here’s the breakdown: various communication methods are ascribed different weights of
influence. For example, a phone call may be given the numerical weight of 9 constituents, while an
email may only be held as a fraction of one. Often times an email inbox is set up with filters;
based on keywords and topics from incoming messages, they’re filed into various categories, and
often aren’t even read. “The difference with a phone call,” says Paul, “is that someone has to
listen.”
Paul locates the effectiveness of writing a letter somewhere in between a phone call and an email,
but he also advises that “Twitter is actually the clearest and easiest way to reach your
decision-makers.” Tagging (@ mention) your representative can be a really effective method. He
points out that a “tweet” doesn’t get spammed like email does and representatives are more likely to
be managing their own account (unlike email), so they’re more likely to take note and see your
message. Twitter has a
list
of U.S. Representatives and their official accounts with links to follow each one. If you’re looking
for more information about communicating with legislators through Twitter, Rikki Amos, from the
Public Affairs Council outlines more detailed tips in
this
article.
Town Hall Meetings
Be aware of any town hall meetings that your local Congress representative is holding near you.
Most representatives do this annually in bigger towns around their district. Generally they speak
for a brief introduction and then go right into questions.
If you know specifically what you want to discuss as it relates to agricultural policy, get in line
for a question right from the start of the session and have your question prepared on paper if you
think you might get nervous. There’s nothing wrong with reading off a question into a
microphone.
Even if your representative might not be familiar with agricultural policy issues, just hearing
that it’s important to constituents in his or her district will make an impression. Then you can
also follow up with your letter, calls or tweets as described above referencing the topic you raised
in the town hall meeting.
Office Visit
Lastly, many congressional members have some sort of office hours when the public can pass through
their local office to speak with them or their staff. This might be the most time-intensive option
-- but also the most impactful way to talk about your issues as a small farmer. But you’re not
guaranteed time with the representative so there’s a risk in terms of opportunity cost of your time.
Don’t be shy, bring up the important issues that impact your farm and your business with local
leaders. Let your voice be heard.
Jane works as a Field Production Specialist at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable
Food Systems, where her days are filled with tractor work, irrigation coordination, orchard
care, and educating apprentices and interns. Her favorite way to end a long day's work in
the sun, is running down the hill to Mitchell's Cove and jumping in the Pacific.
