2023 Farm Bill Action Page - Missouri Coalition for the Environment

The Farm Bill is reauthorized every five years and 2023 is one of those years. It is not just important for farmers, it’s important for every single one of us who rely on a safe, abundant, and sustainable food system. Farmers and communities alike are counting on Congress to do its job and pass a new bill – a good one that invests in a better farm and food future. Where are we now? We are at the beginning of Farm Bill development through the creation of marker bills.

What is a “marker bill”?

This summer, Congress will introduce marker bills – these are what we like to describe as “draft pages” of the final Farm Bill. We will need your help asking Missouri’s congressional delegation to co-sponsor the marker bills most important to Missouri’s farmers, health, and environment. The more co-sponsors a marker bill has, especially from both major political parties, the more likely Congressional leadership will decide next year to put that bill’s language into the final 2023 Farm Bill. One marker bill we are excited about right now is the Agricultural Resilience Act!

What is the Agriculture Resilience Act?

This bill will harness the power of agriculture to draw down carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil, and with enough support, it can become part of the Farm Bill. With urgent action now, including the investments and policy reforms in the ARA, we can meet our climate goals and dramatically improve our food system while engaging farmers in making the critical changes necessary for our future.

Things in the ARA we are most excited about:

- - Research on farm practices that build resilience to changing conditions
  - Funding for soil health and carbon sequestration practices, including a greater percentage of funds set aside specifically for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers
  - Market support for local food products that significantly improve soil health and carbon sequestration
  - Increased transparency in food labeling regarding animal-raising claims.
  - Food waste reduction, including clarity on quality dates and discard dates
  - Funds for establishing new small-scale animal processing, which helps grazing livestock producers thrive
  - Support for on-farm renewable energy through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)

To see a more detailed breakdown of what is in the bill, see NSAC’s “section by section breakdown” of this marker bill here.

Join us today in asking your members of congress to co-sponsor the Agricultural Resilience Act! Not sure who your Members of Congress are? Click here to add your address and see who all of your elected officials are.