Credible Edibles: A Take on the Food & Farm Bill From MSP

Here's a great column about the Food & Farm Bill from my friends at Edible Twin Cities:

THE FARM BILL: WHAT'S NEXT

By Brian DeVore

Will this be the year of the Farm and Food Bill? As we reported in the Fall 2006 edition of Edible Twin Cities (page 18), Congress is scheduled to develop agricultural legislation in 2007 that will determine for the next five years or so what farmers raise, what kids eat in schools and what labels appear on your chicken noodle soup, among other things.

Unfortunately, up until now the Farm Bill has been more of a raw commodity bill-a piece of policy that benefits international grain traders, factory livestock producers and wealthy landowners, often to the detriment of two key components in our food system: farmers and consumers. An unprecedented coalition of family farm, consumer, environmental and social justice groups is working to make the Farm Bill something that benefits the land, farmers, communities and consumers.

Here in Minnesota, consumers who want a real Farm and Food Bill have a golden opportunity to have their voices heard in Congress. Minnesota is to Congressional farm politics what Wisconsin is to cheese. Senators Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar are on the Senate Agriculture Committee, while Rep. Tim Walz serves on the House equivalent. And Rep. Collin Peterson is the powerful chair of the House Agriculture Committee.

You can read the whole story (and hopefully subscribe!) @ www.EdibleTwinCities.com