Advancing a Transformative Farm Bill

Every five years, we have a unique opportunity to transform our food and farming landscape—and its impact on people and the environment—through the federal Farm Bill. This huge package of legislation influences every step in the food chain, from seed to plate. For instance, the previous Farm Bill, in 2018, authorized nearly $430 billion in public spending, including funding for programs that support on-farm conservation and resource protection, organic agriculture, food waste reduction, and underserved farmers, as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that combats food insecurity and puts meals on the table for millions of people across the United States.

But for decades, the Farm Bill has also subsidized harmful agricultural practices that threaten communities, wildlife, and natural resources. The next Farm Bill should support a climate-friendly food system that protects health and builds wealth in rural and urban communities alike.

NRDC’s top 2023 Farm Bill priorities include:

• Expanding support for organic agriculture, including assistance for farmers and ranchers to transition to organic
• Incentivizing soil-boosting cover cropping through incentives in crop insurance
• Reducing food waste across the food supply chain—with the ultimate goal of cutting U.S. food waste in half by 2030

Learn more about NRDC’s past and present work to advance environmental and health priorities in the Farm Bill here.

For media inquiries, please contact Melodie Mendez at 212-727-4442 and mmendez@nrdc.org.