We support the Green New Deal’s call to collaborate with farmers and ranchers in the United States. Supporting family farms, achieving universal access to healthy foods, and investing in sustainable farming and land-use practices that increase soil health are critical components of any comprehensive Green New Deal.

The food and farming sector is the United States’ largest employer, and a top contributor to climate change. At the same time, small and medium sized farmers are struggling to remain both profitable and environmentally sustainable in an increasingly consolidated system, and workers are increasingly exploited in the relentless drive for ever-greater profits.

Fortunately, there are solutions — well-demonstrated, effective and profitable agricultural practices at all scales and in all regions of the country — that can help reduce pollution and repair our environment and climate while revitalizing communities across the country. The original New Deal helped America’s farmers survive the Great Depression and feed our nation while restoring farmlands and soil. The Green New Deal can do even better: restoring our climate by regenerating soil and biodiversity while ensuring fair prices, family-sustaining livable wages, and healthier communities for the farmers, ranchers, fishers, and workers who bring food to our tables.

Farmers, fishers, farmworkers, food-chain workers, communities, and food companies are all greatly harmed by climate change’s weather disasters and disruptions. For the Green New Deal to be effective, the people who make our meals possible must be at the negotiating table.

We embrace the following policy priorities and principles when addressing these food issues in the Green New Deal:

● Carbon reduction, sequestration and climate resilience;
● Fair prices for farmers, ranchers, and fishers; anti-trust measures that help reverse food sector consolidation; and healthy working conditions with family-sustaining living wages for workers;
● Diversified, resilient local, and regional food economies anchored by family farmers; ranchers and fishers that ensure healthy, sustainable food for all to combat consolidation in the food and farming sector; and reverse the rapid loss of farmers and deterioration of farmland;
● Avoid “false solutions” and agribusiness-sponsored proposals that do nothing to address the systemic causes of our climate crisis and delay progress;
● Protection for workers, rural communities, consumer health and soil productivity through the transition away from harmful agrochemical use in agricultural practices and production;
● Ensure that those most affected by the exploitation of people and the environment of the current agricultural system and who have experience and knowledge to contribute have a seat at the table in decisions and negotiations.

To reduce emissions and bolster our nation’s resilience in the face of the climate crisis, we must enact policies that transform unsustainable industrial agriculture, reduce food sector consolidation, as well as empower farmers and ranchers to adopt organic and agroecological practices. These policies must support diversified and ecologically regenerative farming techniques that reduce greenhouse gases and other pollution, boost soil health and sequester carbon in soil — enhancing local and regional food security, economic well-being, and biodiversity. With these policies and support, farmers and ranchers can increase their income, and spur new jobs and businesses that are meeting the growing demand for local, healthy, pasture-based, plant-based, and organic foods.