Join other family farms for Farm Program Fairness
to Protect Family Farms from Harmful Changes to Farm Programs and USDA Rules
Farm Program Fairness
Family farms need Congress and USDA to ensure farm program rules are written in a fair and clear way for all farms and farmers. Rules should match the reality of today’s farming challenges and not hinder how farmers operate their business.
As Congress begins to consider the 2023 Farm Bill and as the Biden Administration considers changes to farm program rules, it’s critical that we keep these programs working for family farms. Join the Farm Program Fairness Coalition and help us to protect your farm.
USDA and FSA have created rules over time that are at odds with current farming business practices, banking rules, IRS rules, family succession and estate planning. While many rules were well intended, the business of farming has changed. To be competitive in today’s farming world, family farms need farm programs that work with other farm business planning and don’t require farmers to operate in ways that are inefficient or untypical of their farming practices. The Farm Program Fairness coalition's mission is to ensure that Congress and the USDA create and administer fair and clear rules for farm programs that work well for the family farms that are most impacted.
Join the 'Farm Program Fairness' Coalition Today
Farm Program Fairness Coalition Engages Expertise
Pinion, a national leader in food and agricultural consulting and accounting services, has a Farm Program Services team dedicated to working with producers nationwide to evaluate full utilization and eligibility of Farm Service Agency programs for the benefit of their bottom line.
The Farm Program Fairness Coalition is another way they support producers and, in addition to the Pinion Farm Program Services team, also have a group of respected farm advocates and consultants to advance its efforts on behalf of family farms:
Bradley Karmen retired from the Farm Service Agency after 41 years of service at the Washington D.C. headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and he will continue to protect the interests of American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses through Farm Program Services at Pinion.
Bill Penn has nearly 40 years of experience working with farmers within USDA farm programs and will help ensure compliance with the complex rules and regulations governing participation in federal farm programs.
Devin Rhinerson brings expertise in a wide range of areas including agriculture, homeland security, emergency management and veterans affairs from his seven years of Capitol Hill experience, including five as a senior policy advisor.
Kevin Eastman has a variety of experience after serving as Legislative Director to Congressman Doug LaMalfa of California, including issues around veterans and defense spending, natural resources, land use issues and more.
“These leaders all possess the insider knowledge and commitment to ensure program rules are clear for farms and farmers, and all potential opportunities are explored and utilized when beneficial to them,” says Matthew Farrell, Director of Farm Program Services at Pinion.
What Are The Current Issues?
Last year, USDA suddenly changed farm program rules that would have redefined management contribution rules for family farm owners thereby affecting the farm's ability to cover risk with certain farm programs.
This would have especially hurt family farmers where older and younger generations play a role in management of the family business. Recognizing the impact this change would have on working farmers, the Farm Program Fairness Coalition encouraged farmers to raise their concerns and we were able to convince USDA to reverse this misguided rule.
While this was a significant victory, our work is far from over. We know that some in Congress and at USDA would still like to limit the ability of family farms to equitably receive much needed assistance under our farm programs.
How Do The Issues Affect You?
Changes to farm programs and to the USDA rules could limit your ability to fully participate in farm payments, therefore not adequately covering your operation’s risk.
Further, existing USDA rules limit operations’ access to capital by limiting who can guarantee loans, including members of the farming operation. Family farms need to work together to ensure that farm programs continue to make sense for modern farming operations.
How can I help?
Help support our campaign to keep farm program rules fair for family farms and guarantee they can operate in an efficient manner across multiple generations.
Join the Farm Program Fairness Coalition and work with us to protect your farm.
Last year, the USDA adopted a new rule that applied to non-specialty row crop farmers who participate in programs subject to “Actively Engaged” rules. This rule was released as a ‘final rule’ with no opportunity for public input. (Read about the high-level rule changes here.)
This rule negatively affected the ability of family farms to transition management roles from one generation to another and significantly impacted the number of family members that could be in the ownership of a family farm.
Fortunately, thanks to the quick action by members of the Farm Program Fairness Coalition, we were able to convince USDA to withdraw this misguided rule.
But we cannot rest easy. It’s critical that you join the Farm Program Fairness Coalition and work with us to make sure this rule doesn’t reappear and to help educate Congress about the important role that family farms play in producing food and fiber and supporting our rural communities.
USDA changed the definition of a significant contribution of management for payment eligibility in the Federal Register. It stated that, regardless of the ownership, if an individual is relying on management alone to qualify that individual must put in either:
- At least 25 percent of the total management hours required for the farming operation on an annual basis; or
-at least 500 hours of management annually for the farming operation.
This rule negatively impacted family farms that:
- Had an operation of 5 or more members
- Had managers who:
-
- Hold a full time job away from the farm;
- Live away from the farm;
- Are active, full-time students; and
- Do not provide labor, or earn a wage or guaranteed payment on the farm.
- This rule hurt farms with older generations who are working less due to their age and it also hurt farms working to bring in younger generations as part-time managers.
- This rule also hurt smaller farms that couldn’t justify the number of management hours required by the rule.
Join the Farm Program Fairness Coalition. Our team will be working with USDA and members of Congress to ensure that the voice of family farms is heard on these issues. We need to make sure that farm programs continue to work for our farms that produce America’s food and fiber and that support our families and rural communities.
