2014 Farm Bill:
Opportunities for
Food Policy
Joe Shultz
Chief Economist
U.S. Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Why Ohio?
 14 million acres of Ohio is farmland (up from 5 years ago)
 75,000 farmers in Ohio
 Ohio’s Farms are Diverse
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31,000 farmers raise grains or oilseeds
20,000 raise cattle
18,000 grow hay
6,000 have poultry or eggs
5,000 raise sheep or goats
4,000 grow fruits, nuts, vegetables, or potatoes
3,000 raise hogs or pigs
3,000 have dairies
 2/3 of Ohio farmers have less than $25,000 in gross sales
Land Cover Map of United States
Outline
 2014 Farm Bill
 Farm Bill Budget
 Supporting Underserved Farmers
 Opportunities for Local Food Systems
 Specialty Crops and Organics
 Healthy Food in Nutrition Programs
 Farm Bill Process and Advocacy
 Questions
Farm Bill Spending
 $23 Billion in total cuts
 $19 billion saved in Commodities
 $8 billion saved in Nutrition
 $6 billion saved in Conservation
 $5 billion added to Crop Insurance
 $5 billion added to Clean Energy, Local Food, Fruits
& Vegetables, Organics, Research, etc.
2014 Farm Bill Invests over $2 Billion for
Local Food, Fruits & Vegetables, Organics
Local, Healthy Food
Promotion
$286
Insurance for Fruits,
Vegetables, and Organics
$384
Specialty Crop Research
Initiative
$745
Speciality Crop Block
Grants
$270
Organics (cost-share,
research, etc)
$239
Plant Pest and Disease
$193
Expands Opportunities for Local Food Systems
 Farmers’ Market and Local Food Promotion
 More than tripled funding from 2008 Farm Bill
 Allows for infrastructure projects like food hubs
 Community Food Projects
 Nearly doubles funding from 2008 Farm Bill to $9 million per year,
targets innovative non-profits in underserved regions
 Healthy Food Financing Initiative
 New in 2014 Farm Bill
 Creates revolving loan programs to support fresh healthy food retailers in
“food deserts”
Opportunities for Local Food Systems, cont…
 Value Added Producer Grants
 More than quadruples funding from 2008 bill from 15 million to 63
million over 5 years
 Improving Access to USDA Loans
 Directs USDA to develop a methodology for valuing local-regional
produce that better reflects for their product
 Local Food Data Initiative
 Directs USDA to collect data on the production and marketing of local
and regional food
 Food and Ag Service Learning Initiative
Support Underserved Farmers
 Immediate Disaster Assistance
 Whole-Farm Business Insurance
 25% Discount for Beginning Farmers
 Improve Insurance for Organic Producers
 Priority R&D for New Insurance Products
Support for Fruits and Vegetables
 Specialty Crop Block Grants
 Additional $270 million for projects that benefit both producers and
consumers
 Specialty Crop Research Initiative
 Largest increase in funding for universities to coordinate key research
initiatives (citrus greening)
 Consolidates USDA Plant Pest and Disease
Management Programs
Organics
 Organic Research and Extension Initiative
 Increase from $78 million to $100 million over 5 years
 National Organic Certification Cost Share
 More than doubles funding from 2008 Farm Bill to nearly $60 million
over 5 years
 National Organic Program
 $75 million for the National Organic Program to enforce standards
and accredit certifiers so that the integrity of the organic seal is
preserved
Healthy Choices in SNAP
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Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grants “DoubleUp Food Bucks”
Allows SNAP benefits for CSA shares
Improves Quality of Food at SNAP Retailers
Continues Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
What are people saying?
“Within the bill is a significant shift in the types of farmers who are now benefiting from
taxpayer dollars, reflecting a decade of changing eating habits and cultural dispositions
among American consumers. Organic farmers, fruit growers and hemp producers all did
well in the new bill. An emphasis on locally grown, healthful foods appeals to a broad base
of their constituents, members of both major parties said.”
New York Times
March 8th, 2014)
“While no Farm Bill is perfect, this bill continues support for critical programs and
advances innovations that will support small and mid-scale farmers and help more lowincome families access healthy and affordable foods in their communities...”
Dr. Oran Hesterman
Fair Food Network
February 5th 2014
Timeline of the 2014 Farm BillMay 2011
Nov 2011
Farm Bill discussions in
Joint Select Committee
for Deficit Reduction
“Super Committee”
Senate’s 1st
Hearing on Farm Bill
2011
1
2
April 2012
June 2012
Senate Cmte Markup
of 2012 Farm Bill
House Cmte Markup
of 2012 Farm Bill
Senate Passage of
2012 Farm Bill
4
Jan 2013
1-year extension of most
Farm Bill Programs
5
5
3
May 2013
Senate Cmte Markup
of 2013 Farm Bill
House Cmte Markup
of 2013 Farm Bill
6
June 2013
July 2013
Senate
Passage of
2013 Farm
Bill
House Passage
of 2013 Farm Bill
(No nutrition title)
7
8
Jan 2014
Feb 7, 2014
House Passes
President signs
Conference Report
Conference Report
8 Senate Passes
into law.
Conference Report
9
Today
Thank you. Questions?
 75,000 farms in Ohio - holding steady for the last 5 years
Nearly 14 million acres actually up slightly
Average farm is 185 acres
Roughly $50,000 of those farms make less than 25,000 in gross sales...not nearly
enough to support a family
Roughly 25 K Ohio farmers are commercial scale, the biggest category 10,000 plus
make between 100K and 500K gross.
31,000 are crop farmers ---grains, oilseeds, #1
20,000 are cattle farmers #5
18,000 grow hay #7
6,000 have poultry or eggs #2
5,000 have sheep or goats
3,000 plus have dairies #3
3,000 plus have hogs or pigs #4
1,500 have fruits, nuts, and berries 2,400 have veggies, melons, potatoes, etc. #6
6,553 account for 75 percent of all sales
Conservation Programs
Easements
ACEP
Two parts:
Agricultural Land
Easements and
Wetland Reserve
Easements
CRP
Partnerships
Working Lands
Significant
savings by stairstepping
program from
27.5 million to 24
million acres by
2018
RCPP consolidates
four partnership
programs
EQIP
CSP
Sodsaver
Joe Shultz
Chief Economist
U.S. Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry