MFAI| Public Policy

Notes From the Field –

Katie Wied, Policy Organizer, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, takes us on-farm to discuss governmental “green payments” in the Conservation Stewardship Program. Why I love going to farms to talk about CSP:

Create a sense of community
Help bridge the gap between policy and on the ground work
Show respect and give praise to the farmers for their hard work and conservation practices
Educate farmers and give them the tools to empower themselves through grants and other available resources
To reinforce why I am involved with sustainable agriculture policies

READ MORE on the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition blog.

Public Policy Internship for 2009: Apply by November 21, 2008!

Policy interns will have the opportunity to assist in coordinating the Fiscal Year 2009 grassroots agricultural appropriations campaign; help assure optimal implementation by USDA of sustainable agriculture programs and provisions in the Farm Bill; work on Farm-to-School provisions in the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization; develop new grassroots contacts in key congressional and senate districts nationally and develop similar strategies for Wisconsin grassroots network development; participate in state sustainable agricultural policy development; join policy conference calls of groups such as the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition; and work as NSAC interns for two weeks in Washington, D.C. Interns will be able to attend a NSAC membership meeting in Washington, D.C. as well as at least one other major movement-related conference. Read More

Public Policy Education Program

The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute works to reform state and federal government policy to support agriculture that is good for the environment, public health and rural and urban communities. To accomplish this we work in coalition with farmers, environmentalists, policymakers and other sustainable agriculture organizations.

MFAI staff coordinates the nationwide grassroots campaign to secure federal funding for the sustainable agriculture movement, through the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture. To do this we collaborate with many other partners, including the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, the five regional Sustainable Agriculture Working Groups, and many other local, state and national groups. Our campaign has resulted in protecting scores of millions of dollars for the movement. We also work on other federal policies, including development and implementation of the 2007 Farm Bill.

At the state level, we have helped create keystone programs for the sustainable agriculture movement. We currently work on the following issues:

Are you interested in getting paid for your conservation practices? Read more
Still confused by the Farm Bill? Read more
On-farm conservation: Conservation Security Program implementation
Rural economic development and entrepeneurism: Value Added Producer Grant Program implementation; outreach to underserved farmers
Managed grazing: Research and outreach on barriers to managed grazing
Food systems: Creation and implementation of the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program
Farmland protection: Participation in Governor's Working Lands Initiative Taskforce

We are members of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture and the Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.

New Michael Fields Policy Advocate

Michael Fields is fortunate to have had Bridget Holcomb join our policy program staff in mid-September as the new Associate Policy Advocate. Bridget directed the policy program at the Illinois Stewardship Alliance for the past two years and brings experience ranging from federal conservation programs to local food initiatives and many other issues. She sits on the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's coordinating council, and was a leader of the sustainable agriculture student group when she was a student at UW-Madison. She can even be said to be coming home, as she was a Michael Fields policy intern two and a half years ago. Welcome, Bridget!

Michael Fields’ Bioenergy Work

The Institute recently received a grant from the Energy Foundation along with Clean Wisconsin to join a coalition of groups in Wisconsin working for legislative passage of advanced bioenergy policies in the state. Energy proposals we will be advocating include a Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a Bioenergy Crop Reserve Program, and pay-backs for energy generated using renewable energy. The grant goes into effect this fall.

New State Grazing Extension Specialist

Many of Wisconsin's managed graziers have long sought closer linkages to the University of Wisconsin's research community; and MFAI has worked to help create a position to accomplish this. On October 1, Iowa County crops and livestock extension agent Rhonda Gildersleeve begins a UW-Extension position as a grazing state specialist.
While many dairy and livestock farmers understand grazing's benefits to their bottom line, especially as fuel costs soar, research results will also be emerging on the relationship between grazing and soil conservation, nutrient management, water quality, and wildlife, and on many other topics.

Seeds and Breeds

Nikki Check, MFAI Policy Program Intern, at Wisconsin State Capitol

In March, MFAI Policy Program Intern Nikki Check attended the Seeds and Breeds National Summit, hosted by the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA). The Summit addressed the increasing trends of consolidation and dwindling public resources for planting and livestock breeding. In her article, Nikki highlights the needs for public breeding programs that support a diverse, sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.
» Read the full article

Conservation Security Program Opens in Milwaukee River Watershed, 52 Watersheds Nationwide

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the long awaited signup for the Conservation Security Program will begin on April 18, 2008 in 52 watersheds, including the Milwaukee River Watershed in Wisconsin. The Conservation Security Program is the country’s only green payments program, which rewards farmers for their practices that promote clean water, air and wildlife habitat on their farms.
» Read the full article

MFAI launches new initiative to reach underserved farmers

MFAI proudly announces a new project, funded by USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA), which pays experienced grantwriters to assist farmers in submitting grant proposals to federal agencies to support their work. The project places priority on serving socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, whom RMA describes as belonging to "a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as a member of the group without regard to their individual qualities. SDA groups are women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders." Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.
» More information

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

New research suggests that locally produced food can reduce our carbon footprint, but how our food is produced may be just as important as the distance it travels from farm to plate. A study by University of Washington researchers found that locally produced food cut greenhouse gas emissions when compared to its imported counterparts, but for some foods how it was produced may impacted the amount of emission savings.
» Read the full article

Senate Adopts Farm Bill - Some Wins, Some Losses for Sustainable Agriculture

After much anticipation, the Senate voted in favor of a new farm bill on December 14th. It's mixed bag of wins and losses for family farmers, consumers and the environment. Now the House and Senate conference committee must agree to a compromise bill, so there's more time to push for sustainable agriculture priorities. Click on the link below for an update on the farm bill. Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.
» Farm Bill update

2007 in Review: Building a Movement

We are pleased to announce that the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program, which so many of you have supported over the many months, was funded in the state budget. It was a difficult budget process, making the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin victory all the sweeter. 2007 was a busy year for sustainable agriculture policy in other ways. Read the newsletter article for the year in review.
» Read the full article

Grassfed meat label closer to becoming a reality

The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC), along with member groups like the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, has long advocated for a strong grassfed label standard prohibiting any feeding of grain, in conjunction with strict requirements for animal access to pasture or grazing. Following nearly five years of negotiations, USDA recently published a much-anticipated final standard for a new voluntary grassfed livestock marketing claim standard.
» Read the full article

Producer Grantwriting Assistance Project

MFAI announces a new project, funded by USDA's Risk Management Agency, that pays experienced grantwriters to assist farmers in submitting proposals to federal agencies to support their work. The project places priority on serving socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, whom RMA describes as belonging to "a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as a member of the group without regard to their individual qualities. SDA groups are women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders." Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.
» More information

Conservation Security Program drives resource management

Terraces and no-till farming work to control erosion. - photo courtesy of USDA NRCS

A report released by a coalition of Midwest farm organizations finds that the Conservation Security Program is spurring new agricultural conservation in the Midwest. Farmers enrolled in the Conservation Security Program are taking advantage of the program's incentives by adding new practices to their farms that protect natural resources. (Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS)
» Press release | Full report

"No Time for Delay"

The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's report, entitled No Time for Delay, details provisions for the 2007 Farm Bill that can help rural communities gain economic strength. According to the Coalition, an alliance of farm, religious, environmental and other groups working on federal agricultural policy, the federal government can help farmers enter agriculture, stay profitable, and build rural community economies through a few key policy recommendations. (Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS)
» News release | Executive summary of the report [pdf 116kb]

The future of managed grazing in Wisconsin

Studies show that by rotating cows through pasture for their primary forage, farmers can reduce their input and labor costs, increase profits, and enjoy a more satisfying lifestyle. What, then, is keeping Wisconsin farmers from adopting managed grazing? A report by Michael Fields Agricultural Institute reveals the barriers to managed grazing in Wisconsin and recommends ways in which they may be overcome. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture photo archive).
» News release | Download the full report [pdf 810kb]

Please check out our latest MFAI newsletter for an update on our work. Sign up here if you would like to receive the newsletter by e-mail.

Some helpful links

National:

Wisconsin: