Students Shifting the Farm Bill

Students in classroom at a satellite event

Students Shifting the Farm Bill

Take Action!

Sign on to our call for a Farm Bill that works for everyone – animals, people, and the planet. Ask your elected officials to support the 2023 Food and Farm Act today!

The twice-per-decade Farm Bill reauthorization process offers advocates the tremendous, if rare, opportunity to transform America’s food and agriculture systems. To take advantage of this opportunity, advocates from around the country and across the food system must align to push back against Big Ag consolidators and millionaire landowners who have traditionally dominated the legislative process. Together, we can work to shift Farm Bill resources to support farmed animals, people, and the planet.

This year, Farm Sanctuary partnered with Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) to take a bold step. Section by section, the Food & Farm Act shifts the Farm Bill, enhancing access to healthy foods, establishing the first animal welfare title, and redistributing funding to support farmers, reduce waste, and protect our environment.

From Capitol Hill to Communities Across the Country

On Wednesday, March 29th, Rep. Blumenauer and Farm Sanctuary met with dozens of animal, health, justice, farmer, and environmental advocates on Capitol Hill to engage on Farm Bill issues and support the Food & Farm Act’s capacity to make much-needed change. But the celebrations did not end there!

Throughout March and April 2023, Farm Sanctuary co-hosted Shift the Farm Bill satellite parties at 10 universities nationwide. From Portland, Oregon, to St. Petersburg, Florida, students across the country connected with fellow advocates, lobbied for transformative state and federal food policy bills, and enjoyed some delicious, local, plant-based food.

The Shift the Farm Bill satellite parties also provided students with the space to commiserate over shared frustrations. Many participants expressed strong desires for access to safe and healthy food, just compensation, a stable and habitable climate, and equitable distribution of resources. And yet, they’ve been saddled with futures that don’t guarantee any of those things. With its accelerating and intensifying crises, the world they’re inheriting is quashing their enthusiasm, creativity, and idealism — all traits that spur younger generations to revolutionize food and agricultural systems.

Building the Good, Together

The Shift the Farm Bill satellite parties reignited students’ hope for a better future by reminding them of their innate power. Despite the widespread challenges facing students today, youth leaders play pivotal roles in food system transformation. Many know of climate activist Greta Thunberg, whose persistent calls for agricultural reform have inspired a stronger sense of collective efficacy for young people around the globe.

But other examples abound! As law and university students, Grant Nelson and Maria Rose Belding created the Matching Excess And Need for Stability Database (MEANS) and have since redirected over 2.2 million pounds of food to communities in need. After learning about the abuse and mistreatment of farmed animals, 11-year-old Zoe Rosenberg opened Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary, which has grown into one of the largest sanctuaries on the west coast. And in early 2020, a group of Hawaiian high school students launched the Hawai’i Youth Food Council and successfully mobilized students to advocate for healthier, localized food system policies.

Students have every reason to feel disheartened about their potential to shift the Farm Bill. But they also have plenty to be hopeful about, and celebrating Congressman Blumenauer’s Food & Farm Act was an excellent place to start. Between labs, lectures, and long hours in the library, the Shift the Farm Bill satellite parties planted seeds of inspiration for the many students interested in nurturing more just, sustainable, and compassionate food systems. Farm Sanctuary is grateful to have collaborated with so many thoughtful, engaging, and resourceful students as we work to shift the Farm Bill together.

To Build the Good, We Have to Shift the Farm Bill

To build the good across U.S. food systems, we have to shift the Farm Bill. Set to spend more than $700 billion over the next 5 years, the “farm” part of the Farm Bill makes factory farming possible – it provides the credit, subsidy, legal, and regulatory structure that benefits Big Ag and hurts nearly all of us: farmers, workers, families, communities, farmed animals, and the environment. Right now, the Farm Bill is a factory farm bailout. But it could be a building block for food system transformation. Read on to hear how student organizers across the country are working to Shift the Farm Bill.

New York University

“Our satellite party was a great opportunity to spread the word about the Food and Farm Act. The students who stopped by our table were enthusiastic about the bill and enjoyed learning about related state legislation as well.” – David Birch, Second-Year Student at NYU Law and Co-President of NYU Student Animal Legal Defense Fund

Eckerd College

“While listening to the panel, the students and I were impressed by the way the panel wove together the intersecting realities regarding the impact of our current food system. This includes the welfare of animals, the lack of access to healthy food options for marginalized communities, and the health consequences to humans, other animals, and the environment. We all agreed that we need to reinvent the way we produce food, the way we distribute food, and the way we consume food so that animals, humans, and the environment can co-exist in a sustainable and healthy way.” – Erin Kidder, PhD, Assistant Professor of Animal Studies, Eckerd College

Vermont Law School

“This was an amazing opportunity to discuss the Food and Farm Act as well as the necessary changes to shift the Farm Bill to promote human health, animal welfare, and the environment. We’re so thankful to Farm Sanctuary and Representative Blumenauer for including us!” – Bailey Soderberg, J.D. candidate

“As a student who took Vermont Law and Graduate’s Farm Bill class prior to attending the Shift the Farm Bill Satellite party, I had a basic understanding of our current and past Farm Bills. Given the complexity and breadth of this Bill, an argument can be made that the Farm Bill has become unwieldy. Given the original intent of the Farm Bill: keeping food prices fair for farmers and consumers, ensuring adequate food supply for our nation, and protecting natural resources, it has surpassed these original goals. There is overwhelming evidence that the Farm Bill should be broken into subcommittees. Given this, it is inspirational to see a Congressman make revising the Farm Bill such a priority. The current Farm Bill focuses too heavily on commodity crops. Farmers that plant crops such as fruits and vegetables, specialty crops, do not benefit to the same extent. It would be extremely refreshing to see an updated Farm Bill that better aligns with our nation’s current needs and values.” – Daria Bednarczyk, VLGS student

“It was great to learn about the Food and Farm Act and to know that there is a group lobbying for the government to stop paying “too much to the wrong people to grow the wrong foods in the wrong places.” I am taking a Farm Bill class over the summer and look forward to bringing this up for discussion”. – Kristi Fox, VLGS student

Lewis & Clark Law School

“I really enjoyed the Shift the Farm Bill event, as it was awesome to see students studying all types of law at Lewis & Clark come together to celebrate such an important piece of legislation. The event was also a great opportunity for us as students to learn more about how we can get involved with policy work. LC ALDF is so appreciative of Farm Sanctuary for hosting this wonderful event!” – Karli Uwaine, JD Candidate at Lewis & Clark Law School & Co-President of LC ALDF

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

“Our event with the Farm Sanctuary was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the steps being taken on behalf of farm animals. Animal welfare, as well as the importance of improvements to food systems, does not always get enough attention, and we appreciated Aaron joining us to raise awareness and answer our (many) questions. Thank you so much!” – Jess Zalph, 3L at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

Stanford Law School

“Stanford Food Soc was very excited to get together to discuss and support Representative Blumenauer’s Food & Farm Act of 2023, a bill which we hope will serve as an impetus for addressing the major injustices in the Farm Bill and in American food policy more broadly. Our members enjoyed hearing Rep. Blumenauer speak about his vision for improving our food system and took time to lobby their elected representatives in Congress on behalf of this initiative.” – Roshan Natarajan, J.D. Candidate at Stanford Law School