CFSC Scores Major Victories in the Farm Bill!

Thanks to the support of our members, the Coalition has made major advances in the 2002 Farm Bill. Foremost among them is the doubling of the Community Food Projects to $5 million through 2007. Funding continues to be mandatory. Changes to the legislation will also allow for mini-grants and planning grants to be funded under this program.

The Coalition also played a major role in ensuring the survival of the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, with $15 million per year in MANDATORY funding. The WIC FMNP will continue to be based on yearly appropriations.

Finally, we also played an instrumental role in creating a federal policy encouraging local purchases by schools and a new seed grant fund to help schools to purchase food from local farmers. We hope to expand this program in the upcoming Child Nutrition Act reauthorization above and beyond its initial $400,000 authorization.

This is the good news for our movement: food policy that is also good farm policy wins support even in an evenly divided Congress. A hearty thank you to everyone who helped gain these victories by contacting your representatives. Let's build on these successes in the next year on farm to school and food access legislation. Adelante!