Of all the subjects I’ve covered as a journalist, none is more unsexy—or more important—than the 2014 Farm Bill.
Wait: Before your eyes glaze over, hear me out.
The 2014 Farm Bill (which should have actually been the 2012 Farm Bill, but was delayed by all manner of political shenanigans) directly affects what you and I eat every day. It affects how underprivileged folks get access to healthy food, how young people can succeed in farming, how farmers’ markets can grow and reach more customers, how big industrial farms interact with the environment.
While the 2014 Farm Bill was signed into law in March, the real work is ongoing, as committees undertake the task of translating legislation into reality. How will rules be implemented and enforced? What will these rules look like on the ground? And consumers (as well as special interest groups) can have a big say in how the Farm Bill goes into practice.
If you’re interested in local food, if you want continued access to farm-fresh food, then you should know what’s going on with the Farm Bill. My recent article in the newest issue of Edible Ohio Valley aims to detangle the confusion.
