Join UUs for Just Economic Community, UUs for Social Justice, and UU Ministry for Earth in Washington, D.C., September 26-28, 2023, to learn about our food and farming system and, on day three advocate with our Senators for an equitable and climate-smart 2023 Farm Bill.
* Day passes available
** Scholarships are available. No questions asked, contact Terry Lowman: terryleelowman@gmail.com
Whether or not you are coming, UUs for Social Justice will have a “Write Here, Write Now” campaign so that you can add your voice to the advocacy. More information is coming soon—look for that on or about September 1st. Your letters will be delivered to legislators.
Why focus on conservation and regenerative farming? If you eat food, you care about the Farm Bill–even if you don’t know it!
“The farm bill connects the food on our plates, the farmers and ranchers who produce that food, and the natural resources – our soil, air, and water – that make growing food possible.” – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Why focus on farming to address climate change? About 11-14% of US GHGs come from Agricultural systems. Today’s technology can remove 178 Billion tons of CO2 and reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere by 157 ppm–enough to get us back to pre-industrial levels.
Why this conference? Why the Farm Bill?
The Farm Bill addresses many issues UUs care about, including food quality and food chain security, soil and water contamination, food deserts, equity for small-scale producers, conservation, research, crop insurance, and nutrition programs – 81% of the 2023 Farm Bill’s budget supports programs like SNAP (formerly food stamps). Faith Farm Bill Fact Sheet.
Congress puts forward, every five years, a must-pass farm bill that determines the kind of food and farm system we have. Congress is writing the 2023 Farm Bill NOW. So NOW is the time for our UU voices to be heard.
We need your voice to join a growing coalition to support sustainable, regenerative, and equitable farm policies. We can not concede to the “normal” corporate agri-businesses to dominate the conversation. Here are just some issues that you might be concerned about.
- While small-scale family farms struggle to survive, corporate farms get huge subsidies for mostly animal feed like corn – not for the food we eat. We must shift resources and invest in local/regional food systems that protect our food chain.
- Our soil has been degraded for decades with poisonous chemicals and pesticides that reduce crop yields, contaminate water and pollute air in surrounding often poor communities. Our soil, our food, and our health are at risk. We need more funds for conservation and regenerative programs.
- Livestock Methane CO4 is 28X more potent in warming the atmosphere than CO2. We need more research and education to mitigate livestock emissions, encourage plant-based diets, and address Greenhouse gases from food waste.
- Livestock are kept in tortuous dirty CAFOs – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations – rather than what we think of as picturesque green pastures and red barns. We need to stop new CAFOs and protect communities from biodiversity loss and contaminated water from animal waste.
- For decades, the Department of Agriculture discriminated against farmers of color. We must ensure disadvantaged farmers have equal access to credit and government resources, especially those committed to conservation and regenerative farming practices.
- There are good U.S. Department of Agriculture research and grant programs that are underfunded and don’t last long enough. When that happens, farmers return to what they did before.
Join us in Washington, D.C., Sept. 26-28 to learn about our food and farming system, and on day three, advocate with our Senators for an equitable and climate-smart 2023 Farm Bill.
