This week, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, introduced the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act.” Stabenow stated this “puts the 2024 Farm Bill back on track to being signed into law by the end of the year.”
The following is a statement from Matt Hildreth:
For a long time, we at RuralOrganizing.org have championed the cause of Rural Prosperity, legislation that moves beyond agriculture to recognize the diversity of people and economies that make up rural America. Today’s introduction of the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act” marks a major milestone in that campaign.
We welcome Senator Stabenow’s vow that this legislation “builds on our commitment to rural communities.” To us, that means putting money back into the pockets of rural families, reducing costs, and improving quality of life—and not being beholden to corporate conglomerates.
For too long, the “Farm Bill” has been shorthand for the federal government’s commitment to rural communities. However, farmers represent only a small fraction of rural Americans impacted by the critical policies included in the legislation. Changing the title accurately reflects what we see in the legislation: a commitment to homegrown, bottom-up rural prosperity.
In today’s Rural America, more rural people work in manufacturing than in agriculture. Health care is another major rural employer, but rural hospitals are in dire straits, and each one that closes devastates the local economy.Small towns and rural communities nationwide deserve a comprehensive rural prosperity agenda. We have a long road ahead to make this possible, but the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act” is a critical next step to achieving this goal.
The following is a statement from Annie Contractor, Policy Director at RuralOrganizing.org and RuralOrganizing.org Education Fund.
Compared to the vague and short-sighted framework from House Agriculture leader G.T. Thompson, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act offers the alternative that rural communities have been asking for. With over 100 bipartisan marker bills incorporated, Senator Stabenow has put forth a piece of legislation that will ensure the safety net our food producers need while finally providing the needed investments in the vibrant, diverse, and inherently valuable rural communities that surround them.
For the first time, rural development – the wide-ranging portion of the legislation that covers everything from rural hospitals to rural internet access to rural drinking water – will have funding mandated, meaning folks can plan for more than a single year at a time. And for construction activities, the bill acknowledges that a prevailing wage is necessary to make a living and support a household.
With a recognition that food is preventative medicine, nutrition programs are protected and bolstered so that rural folks and the communities that support them see the long-run cost savings of investing in making sure everyone can eat. Harkening back to the original Farm Bill, a core goal of the legislation is to ensure no one in America goes hungry, and this specific and detailed legislation moves us closer to that goal.
Acknowledging the desire of families to follow their passions through work, the bill prioritizes investments in rural child care, elder care, and health care, including allowing rural development programs to support the staff that are needed for these critical services.
Beginning to correct for centuries of subordinating policies, this legislation names Tribal Nations and Tribal entities as eligible and priority for several programs and establishes minimum standards for the level of investments in Tribal communities; these changes could start to close the gap in the living standard many Tribal communities face.
Along with structural changes that include streamlining applications and reducing matching requirements, rural infrastructure investments in this bill will put us on a course toward equitable community opportunity in rural areas.
The “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act” acknowledges the needed ingredients like childcare, clean and reliable drinking water, rural leadership development through programs like 4-H, and a thoughtful and swift move from harmful to sustainable sources of energy are the needed ingredients for a prosperous rural future. We are excited to see a progressive bill moving the conversation forward on rural investment.
The mission of RuralOrganizing.org is to rebuild a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and equitable. Follow us on Twitter @RuralOrganizing.
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