Christina Gorobets
Professor Morris
TA Levi Watts
November 21, 2017
Food and Agriculture Policy Memo
Part 1: Policy Background
a. Policy Problem
I am in the Food and Agriculture Policy area. My subtopic is providing educational and financial programs that would help all farmers transition to more sustainable ways of farming their lands. The specific policy problem is the lack of promotional and educational programs or acts for farmers in order for them to transition from conventional techniques of farming land to more sustainable methods. Farmers are expected to comply with regulations, but not all of the farmers are able to make such changes. The solution to this problem would be to pass more bills that would help all farmers learn how to transition their industry to more eco-friendly ways through the means of government programs, incentives, education, as well as financial support opportunities. I have not revised my policy solution since the beginning of this project.
b. Level of Government to Address the Problem
I believe this problem may be addressed by all of the levels of government which consists of local, state, and federal. The state of California is one of the leading producers in the agricultural industry of America. Based on the information gathered from the USDA ERA website, there are approximately, “77,000 farms,” and around “25, 400, 000 acres of farmland,” and California is number one with, “45, 325, 083, 00 cash receipts in 2016,” (USDA 2017). Handling the policy problem at a state level could be more efficient because it will call for a collective change of the industry in the state. Being one of the leading agrarian states of our nation and if it implemented the solution to its practices, California will thus set forth an example to other states in terms of how the nation can approach agriculture in the midst of modern environmental, social, and economic change, (USDA 2017).
c. Two Strong Arguments in Support
The first argument in support of my proposed policy solution is that it would help the environment. California land is filled with biodiversity and able to accommodate land for yielding crops and producing agricultural goods. Based on the article by Crystal Lombardo titled, “Pros and Cons of Conventional Farming,” Lombardo explains the cons of this farming method. The first reason is that it can harm the soil.Crystal Lombardo explains, “[E]lectrolyte imbalances, chemical toxins, and eventually erosion all occur because the same crop is being grown on acre after acre of land,” (Lombardo 2017). The second reason is that insects are becoming adaptive to pesticides as well as weeds getting used to the herbicides, (Lombardo 2017). These are both unfavorable occurrences to the farmer as well as the land being utilized. In an article by Kristina Wolf et al. titled, “Long-term agricultural experiments inform the development of climate-smart agricultural practices,” Wolf introduces the “UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility” and brings light to its research in regards to farm land, (Wolf 2017).In the article provided by Wolf, it is stated that, “Maintaining healthy soils is a key to climate-smart agriculture,” (Wolf 2017). Through one of their experiments, researchers were able to discover, “[H]ow soil biodiversity…can be harnessed to reduce water and nutrient inputs, and increase crop resilience,” (Wolf 2017). I believe that these types of research breakthroughs in the agricultural and environmental sectors allow us to see that the traditional or conventional method of farming harms the environment and thus is to a certain extent is incapable of providing the appropriate measures needed to maintain healthy farming land.
My second supporting argument is that the proposed solution will help farmers in the industry. Promoting government programs will be good for this industry for many reasons. Based on the information provided by Roger Classen and Maria Bowman in their article titled, “Conservation Compliance in the Crop Insurance Era,” America’s history concerning agriculture is discussed. The Federal government has been playing a role in forming policies regarding the agricultural sector since the 1930’s, (Classen 2017). “HELC”, which stands for “Highly Erodible Land Conservation” has made farmers on applicable land to implement conservation practices to reduce soil erosion, (Classen 2017). With farmers’ participation, this program was successfully proven to reduce U.S. cropland soil erosion by 38% between 1985 and 1995, (Classen 2017). Further acts have have been passed such as the “Agricultural Act of 2014”, made it possible for certain subsidies to be restrained from farmers whose land did not comply with the conservation efforts and laws,(Classen 2017). Based on this information provided, it can be known that acts passed by the Federal level in the United States hold an impact in supporting their farmers as well as promoting environmentally-friendly ways to manage the country’s farmland. I believe that when acts or bills such as these are implemented, the farmer is expected to comply with the law of the country, but is also given the help needed to make desirable changes possible and that is why the policy solution would be feasible.
d. Two Strong Arguments in Opposition
Despite the benefits of sustainable farming practices, there are those who believe that conventional or traditional forms of farming are better. In the article “Pros and Cons of Conventional Farming,” Crystal Lombardo explains the pros of this type of way to farm land. One reason opposing the movement towards sustainable and organic crop cultivation is that the conventional way typically leads to a larger crop yield, in which, “Chemicals applied to the croplands can help to reduce pests, encourage the crops to retain more water, and eliminate weeds that are competing for resources,”(Lombardo 2017). Another reason as to why sustainable farming is undesirable is because of the lack in genetic modification, which is explained by Lombardo in the article. In conventional farming some crops benefit from genetic modification because, “An ear of corn can grow larger or a wheat field can become immune to the local fungus thanks to the conventional farming effort,” (Lombardo 2017). Though there may be benefits opposing the movement to sustainable farming, I believe that due to the incremental change occurring in our environment, conventional farming will not stand as a viable option to participate in the cultivation of our lands. As explained in the prior articles, loss in soil nutrition and adaptation to chemicals are a few of the reasons as to why we must forego this technique.
The second argument against the proposed policy solution is the idea that there are too many regulations being imposed on farmers in the United States. There are farmers who see government regulations differently. There are farmers who oppose sustainable transformation and prefer to use traditional or conventional farming as the way to grow crops. Based on the information provided by the American Farm Bureau Federation website, these farmers explain their reasoning. Farmers united in this group claim that the regulations being passed have a direct impact on farmers and their businesses, (AFBF 2017). “ Imposing regulations based on unproven technologies or science causes increased costs to produce food, feed, fuel, and fiber without measurably addressing the issue of climate,” explained by the American Farm Bureau Federation, (AFBF 2017). This stance on the matter does provide a legitimate point regarding the production of food, but I believe that transitioning to environmentally-friendly ways will deplete fewer resources and protect soil better as mentioned by Lombardo, Classen and Wolf in their articles.
Part 2: What Has Happened?
a. Bill Introduced in California State Legislature
The California State Legislature has done significant work in improving agricultural possibilities for women and people of color. Based on the information provide by Brian Shobe in the article, “Legislature Passes Farmer Equity Act, Commits CDFA to More Equitable Ag Policy,” The Assembly Bill 1348 which is also known as the Farmer Equity Act has passed both chambers,(Shobe 2017). This bill was authored by Assembly member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and she is a Democratic representative of Winters in the state of California, (Shobe 2017). Furthermore, this new act will help the minority farmers and those in need of assistance by ensuring that, “farmers and ranchers have access to the technical and financial assistance to help them mitigate and adapt to climate change,” (Shobe 2017). From the information provided by the California Legislative Information website, this bill has been successfully passed and signed by the Governor of California on October 9, 2017, (California Legislative Information 2017).
b. Bureaucratic Agency
The United States Department of Food and Agriculture is an active Bureaucracy that deals with my policy area. Based on the information provided by Enrique Gili titled, “Carbon Farming: California Focus on Soil to Meet Climate, Water Goals,” The California Department of Food and Agriculture has released a newly established program called the “Healthy Soils Initiative,”(Gili 2017). It holds grants up to “$50,000” for farmers who convert to carbon farming (Gili 2017). In this article by Enrique Gili, cattle farmers are now allowing their livestock to move around and naturally compost their land which restores the important ground nutrients like carbon back into the soils. This state program works as an incentive policy to educate and promote farmers in changing their agrarian ways. This natural soil promoting program is unique in the U.S. being the “first of its kind,” (Gili 2017) and to further progress it into state popularity the state legislature has generated “$7.5 million,” in funds to help aid farmers and ranchers towards more sustainable soil practices and reward those who are engaging in this movement (Gili 2017). This will benefit the environment and support farmers in transitioning their practices towards sustainable farming.
c. Judicial Action
There has been a court case which deals with the agriculture policy area. Based on the information provided by the Oyez website the, “Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms,” Docket number 09-475 was decided on June 21, 2010, (Oyez 2017). In this case the “Geertson Seed Farms and Trask Family Seeds sought an injunction against the Monsanto Company in a California federal district court,” (Oyez 2017). The Geertson and Trask companies feared cross pollination of Monsanto’s altered seed with theirs. Justice John Paul Stevens claimed that the new seeds could possibly contaminate other seeds even in a monitored environment and this could lead to the compromise of the farmer’s livelihood, (Oyez 2017). This court case shows how not all farmers are advanced in their techniques when it comes to production and some face the risk of contamination.
d. Interest Group
There is a large interest group in my policy area. Based on the information provided by the National Farmers Union website, this group “advocated co-operation rights, fair market access for farmers, direct election of senators, and voting rights for women,”(NFU 2017). They believe in providing opportunities for all farmers and those involved in the agricultural industry in the United States. With a representation of, “200,000 members,” (NFU 2017), they together advocate the sustainable production of food and feed, (NFU 2017). Their national organization branches out into individual states as well. This interest group engages in the signings of petitions and their website provides examples and ways to sustainably handle cropland, (NFU 2017). I do agree with this groups actions and efforts because they share the views I have as to how agriculture can be dealt with in the United States.
Part 3: How Can I Continue This Work? Action Plan
a. Three Distinct Actions
The first thing I could do to promote my policy solution is to contact a government official. I would be interested in contacting a government officials and providing them not only my experiences and ideas, but also the research I have done in working on this project. This would affect government at the state level. I believe that as a member of this state I have the right to inform the government of how its actions are affecting me and my community. California is a bountiful state and provides food for the entire country and so it is my and our duty to speak up. The consultant at the action symposium station informed me that by writing a letter, I would make the matter more personal and that is something that I would like to do instead of an email.
The second thing I could do is write a letter to the editor. I believe that this would be a good way for me to potentially publicly express my opinions and gathered research. I will also be able to grasp the attention of those who share my opinions and together we would have a stronger voice. This would have an effect on the state and local levels of government. Collaborating with others will also extend the knowledge of the issue broadly. The consultant at the action symposium station informed me that a good way for me to get the attention of the agricultural population in my community would be to write a letter to the editor of an ag-based news source.
The third thing I could do to promote my policy solution is to join an interest group. This could have a federal, state, and local affect on government levels. Interest groups have a large effect on government. Some gather petitions, fund candidates, hold meetings, and such. This will also give me a chance to get involved in the community and spread my ideas and research with the potential of inspiring others to take action.
b. Two Most Serious Obstacles
One serious obstacle I would face is the lack of free time I have. I am a full time student and this is my freshman year of college. I have classes I need to take that may occur in undesirable hours and days for me but I still need to take them to receive my degree. To fix this problem I could try to get active in my policy area over the summer or during periods of vacation or break.
The second serious obstacle which would enact me from my policy area is my experience in the policy area. I believe that in order for me to become an active member in my policy area I need to have as much knowledge as possible from all aspects. The solution to this problem would be to research more. This project has provided me a solid foundation of facts and information. Now, what I would need to do is meet with active members of this policy area in my community. This will help me broaden my knowledge and thus make me a stronger citizen with a persuasive and knowledgeable voice.
Part 4: What Did You Learn This Semester?
On the first day of class, I came into the room knowing little about politics. I have never been truly interested in the subject. When I found out that this was going to be a hands on type of class I was a bit worried but through the semester I realized there was nothing to be worried about. The only experience I had with politics was discussing it in my government and history class, but what I have learned throughout the course of this semester really got me interested. Through discussions in class and reading the book online, I developed a better understanding how government works and the parts that run it. Each day we held a discussion in class about what was currently going on, then I would go home read about it in the book and complete the online assignments. Knowing that I would have to use terms and processes in my project made me learn them to a greater extent. I really absorbed the information because I knew it would not only help me in this course but other classes as well. My eyes were opened when I was told that a state could sue the President or that major negative environmental impacts were being overlooked for political advancement by some. By learning about the various interest groups and organizations on campus I found a way to join my community and inspire other with my knowledge and findings and be captivated with the ideas and projects that they have been pursuing. Town Hall Meeting was a remarkable experience. I have never done anything like that, and I recommend it to those who haven’t either. Town Hall has allowed me to collaborate with other students and professionals regarding the matter that I didn’t know I was passionate about until this course and this project. Through the discussions with fellow classmates, we learned how much government has invested in our day to day lives and how much we can do to influence it. My favorite quote from this class was, “After all, we are government.” That line changed the way that I think of government.
Reference Page
“Charts and Maps About Your State.” USDA ERS – Charts and Maps About Your State, www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/charts-and-maps-about-your-state/.
"Bill Status." California Legislative Information, www.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1348.
Classen, Roger, and Maria Bowman. “Conservation Compliance in the Crop Insurance Era.” USDA ERS – Conservation Compliance in the Crop Insurance Era, www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2017/july/conservation-compliance-in-the-crop-insurance-era/.
Lombardo, Crystal. “Pros and Cons of Conventional Farming.” Vision Launch, 12 Aug. 2015, www.visionlaunch.com/pros-and-cons-of-conventional-farming/.
Wolf, K, et al. “Archive.” California Agriculture, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, www.calag.ucanr.edu/Archive/?article=ca.2017a0022#R13./
Shobe, Brian. “Legislature Passes Farmer Equity Act, Commits CDFA to More Equitable Ag Policy.” California Climate & Agriculture Network, 25 Sept. 2017, www.calclimateag.org/farmer-equity-act-passes/.
"About Us." National Farmers Union, 19 Dec. 2014, www.nfu.org/about/.
“Climate Change.” American Farm Bureau Federation – The Voice of Agriculture, www.fb.org/issues/regulatory-reform/climate-change/.
Gili, Enrique. “Carbon Farming: California Focus on Soil to Meet Climate, Water Goals.” Water, News Deeply, 1 Aug. 2017, www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2017/07/31/carbon-farming-california-focus-on-soil-to-meet-climate-water-goals.
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