INDIANA – After nearly 100 days of traveling the nation and visiting directly with hundreds of farmers across America, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins on Monday released the first set of policy proposals under her newly launched Make Agriculture Great Again Initiative.
These initial proposals (PDF, 7.2 MB) are a comprehensive set of policy solutions to improve the viability and longevity of smaller-scale family farms for future generations. About 86 percent of all farms in the United States are small family farms.
“Small family farms are the foundation of American agriculture and so many communities across Indiana and our country. Secretary Rollins’ new Farmers First policy agenda will put family farmers’ needs first and complement what we’re doing at the state level in Indiana to help small Hoosier farms thrive and continue feeding America into the next generation,” said Governor Mike Braun.
To ensure small family farmers can start and stay in business, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has outlined a toolkit of actions, including streamlining application processes, improving reliable access to credit, farmland, and markets, and appropriate business planning tools.
The Small Family Farms Policy Agenda provides actionable solutions to a variety of challenges faced by small family farmers:
- Ensure Simple, Streamlined, and Transparent Tools and Applications;
- Ensure Reliable Access to Credit
- Ensure that the Working Farmland is Used to Farm
- Ensure Small Farms Can Be Passed On to the Next Generation for Generations to Come;
- Hyperfocus USDA Programs for Farmers on Farmers;
- Labor Reform;
- Enhance Access to Risk Management and Business Planning Tools
- Ensure Definitions of Farm Size Reflect Modern-Day Realities
- Enhance Farmer Access to Educational Resources
- Other Small Farm Resources Available
View the Farmers First: Small Family Farms Policy Agenda (PDF, 7.2 MB)
This policy rollout builds on the Farmers First Roundtable event recently held at the USDA Headquarters in Washington D.C., where the Secretary met with and heard from more than 20 farmers and ranchers from 11 states who run smaller-scale, family-owned operations, as well as Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) about challenges facing smaller-scale family farms across America.
“America’s family farms help feed, fuel, and clothe the world, but they also face some of the greatest challenges in getting their farms started and running. Putting Farmers First means addressing the issues farmers face head-on and fostering an economic environment that doesn’t put up roadblocks on business creation but removes them,” said Secretary Rollins. “Today’s policy agenda is tailored to support small-scale farms to thrive for future generations. President Trump knows America’s economic prosperity depends on the success of our farmers and ranchers. That is why we are working to ensure those who want to start and keep their farms for generations to come can.”
