When it comes to sustainable agriculture and environmental funding in the United States, the Farm Bill is by far one of the largest sources of capital that exists, providing roughly $6 billion annually for U.S. farmers and conservation efforts. Sure, we could have filed it under “policy” given that it’s a piece of legislation, but the sheer size and scope of the Farm Bill’s financial influence has made it an irreplaceable source of funding for so many smaller farmers and private landowners throughout the United States. (For context, more than 70% of U.S. lands are privately owned.)

So, if the Farm Bill exists, why is funding still needed? For starters, a new/revised version of the Farm Bill is only passed once every five years, and this leaves many farmers in a lurch if Congress can’t agree. Having funding that is so closely tied to a government with ever-growing division isn’t the failsafe we need it to be. Likewise, there are a lot of things the Farm Bill does not equitably address—smaller, independent, BIPOC farmers need to be given seats at the table if we’re going to address sustainable agriculture equitably.

At the end of the day, the Farm Bill alone isn’t enough. We need more funding to advance agriculture, improve water quality, structure, and supply, protect threatened habitats, and ensure all of this work (and more) is done with an equity-first mindset.¹“What You Need to Know About the Farm Bill,” The Nature Conservancy ≫

To move toward a sustainable future in agriculture, we need to replace non-renewable resources (like fossil fuels) with people who have the ecological knowledge to establish sustainable practices. Indigenous leadership and Traditional Knowledge will be key here and should be prioritized by any organization or entity working on sustainable agriculture education and application. This education needs to be as widely available and accessible as possible to help new and existing farmers identify how to use these strategies and practices.

The more familiar and understood sustainable agriculture is with the public in general, the more support these initiatives will have. Sustainable agriculture needs advocates and representation in the government, in pop culture, and—most importantly—in local communities where real change is happening every day.

Public support is not enough. In order to promote a fast transition to sustainable agriculture practices, there need to be laws and policies in place at all levels of the government. By making sustainable agriculture a priority, and by making outdated, fossil fuel-based agricultural practices less valuable through changes in subsidies and other incentives, transition can happen more rapidly. Prioritizing and investing in local agricultural products is a great way to begin. 

Likewise, companies purchasing agricultural products and byproducts can put similar internal policies in place, purchasing only from sustainable growers and making sustainability a core part of their business and mission (something that customers and employees both want).²“Consumers Are Willing To Pay More for Sustainable Food Products,” LEK ≫

Connect with local and national nonprofits working to promote sustainable agriculture solutions where you live. If you like what they do, donate! Your monetary support is essential.  

The truth is environmental organizations receive less than 3% of all philanthropy in the United States. This number is particularly alarming when you realize that our environments—including those impacted by agriculture—directly impact everyone’s health.

When it comes to environmental solutions, knowledge is very much power. Educate yourself about sustainable agriculture. (Hey, look, you’re already doing it! Well done!)

The more you know about this critical solution, the more you can help educate those around you. And why is this important? Because the more people who are educated on the topic, the more we can resist misinformation and stalling tactics by entities that thrive on the damaging agricultural systems we have in place now.

As consumers, we have the power to sway demand in the market. When it comes to the food you eat and even the clothes you wear, purchase from local, sustainable sellers and craftspeople. While we understand that this is not always possible, the more we prioritize sustainability in our daily lives, the more the market will shift to reflect this.

Not sure where to begin or how to source sustainable products? Local environmental nonprofits with a focus on sustainable agriculture (and sustainability in general) are a great resource! Check out their websites, attend local events, and reach out to learn more. Meet EarthShare Nonprofits near you >>

Lend your time and expertise to nonprofits specializing in sustainable agriculture! More than ever, capacity is a major issue for nonprofits. When you volunteer, whether you’re lending your time and/or personal expertise, you’re helping expand a nonprofit’s capacity to grow and do even more good.

The U.S. Farm Bill is a particularly important piece of legislation as it relates to sustainable agriculture, conservation, disaster assistance, and general support to farmers. How are your representatives approaching this issue? Don’t hesitate to reach out to your elected officials and express your desire to support sustainable agriculture. Here’s some sample language you can use.

Join National Young Farmers Coalition and engage with the upcoming Farm Bill campaign here.

Voting is an extremely important resource when it comes to the environment. How we’re able to move forward with sustainable initiatives depends a lot on the willingness of people to vote for representatives and, by extension, pieces of legislation that will change how our country approaches agriculture.

Your vote absolutely matters. Know what environmental initiatives are coming up on your ballot and the environmental stance of prospective candidates.

It’s important to remember that agriculture has a very long history and it’s culturally significant, not just in the United States, but all over the world. Yes, we have come to realize the way that modern agriculture is conducted is not sustainable, but villainizing existing farmers is not an effective way to move forward.

The truth is, there are many people and entities resistant to changing current agricultural processes for reasons that are financial, cultural, differences in ideology—the list goes on. To justly and equitably address these concerns, we need to be compassionate while still moving toward a sustainable future. 

Fossil fuels are used to power nearly every aspect of modern farming today; particularly for large farms where significant automation and machinery are present. For example, grain drying, transportation, and irrigation (among others) all have carbon footprints due to the energy they require. Nitrogen fertilizers are also fossil fuel-intensive to develop. 

A carbon sink is any place or ecosystem that captures carbon dioxide from our atmosphere and stores it—or transforms it—through natural processes. Soil and trees are both incredible carbon sinks, storing carbon and using it as a nutrient.

Agricultural practices can be adjusted to maximize the carbon absorption of our land, crops, and trees—even our water! Visit EarthShare’s Nonprofit Partner Project Drawdown to learn more about carbon sinks.

American Farmland Trust | Umoja Na Uhuru (“Unity and Freedom”) World Farm in Boise, Idaho supports a community agricultural program that grows fresh vegetables for local families using sustainable methods like hand tilling and drip irrigation. Read More >>>

Dryland Agroecology Research (DAR) & Zero Foodprint | Two EarthShare Nonprofit Partners working together, DAR (with a grant from Zero Foodprint) is revitalizing agriculture properties by planting trees and native seeds, implementing sustainable livestock practices, and applying compost to transform soil health and the Elk Run landscape as a whole. Read More >>>

One Earth | In Cambodia, a country that faces extreme poverty and regularly sees the impacts of climate change in the forms of floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures, The Face-to-Face Project educates women on the development of sustainable gardens to help them provide fresh, nutritious food for their families while avoiding the dangerous of physically demanding day labor. Read More >>>

Washington Farmland Trust | The Advancing Farm Sustainability program by Washington Farmland Trust has supported 22 projects since 2016 that have helped improve soil health throughout the state, preserve water through sustainable irrigation, and increase biodiversity and healthy habitats for local wildlife. Read More >>> 

A “value chain” is the process of a business taking raw materials and transforming them into a product or service of value to the consumer. This includes everything from sourcing the materials to design to manufacturing.

A “supply chain” is what comes next. It is the steps taken to get a product or service from the producer to the consumer. This includes suppliers, distributors, retailers, and—of course—the customer.

In agriculture, there are many roles that fall within these two stakeholder groups. From crop consultants to processors to transportation and ingredient manufacturers, sustainability needs to be prioritized at each stage to be truly effective.

The role of extension offices is to provide people in their community with resources and non-formal learning opportunities. This can include farm visits and consultations to help farmers resolve a particular issue (e.g., pest control), soil testing to check overall soil health, financial literacy support, and even youth programs. Almost every county in the United States has an extension office. 

In the early 1860s, the Morrill Act passed in the U.S., establishing institutions of higher learning (universities) in the United States. 30,000 acres were given to each state per congressional representative, and these lands were used to establish places of education focused on agriculture and mechanics. Today, these universities are pioneers in science, agriculture, and medicine, and their influence is significant. A prioritization of sustainable agriculture practices at this level would be highly transformative, enabling future farmers and educators to better understand and implement these techniques.

An agricultural association is a nonprofit or cooperative of farmers, ranchers, and/or growers that promotes education, networking, and the overall improvement of agriculture. These associations can be specific to a particular kind of livestock, phase of agriculture, species of crop, location—the list goes on. The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance is an example of one of these associations.

The process of determining who should do what when it comes to implementing a mass transition to sustainable agriculture is no small feat. It is going to require identifying representatives in all these roles to collaborate on how to make the transition equitably and fairly. Government groups and agencies also play a critical role as laws evolve and regulations change.

So, where do we begin? Luckily, it’s already happening. Grassroots organizations and associations (like National Young Farmers Coalition) are already in place, helping to educate farmers and other stakeholders on sustainability, necessary practices, and where changes can be made—initiating a positive shift within the industry. The next step is to do this on a much larger scale.

National Young Farmers Coalition is an EarthShare Nonprofit Partner dedicated to championing policies that recognize farming as a public service and building connection between people and the land in the face of our ongoing climate crisis. By supporting young farmers with resources and training, and by sharing their stories, National Young Farmers Coalition strives to remake our food systems to be more equitable, just, and sustainable—ideal for both people and planet.

Meet the folks behind National Young Farmers Coalition and learn about the work they’re doing every day to help young farmers and our environment.

Used heavily in modern agriculture, monocropping is the practice of planting one type of crop repeatedly on the same land. This practice was created to address food supply needs for growing global populations in the mid-20th century. While profitable for farmers in the short term, it ultimately leads to severe nutrient depletion in the soil, resulting in worsened crop yields over time, increased pest and disease pressure, and a global food supply that is continually at risk.³“How Industrial Agriculture Affects Our Soil,” Foodprint ≫

As the name suggests, for lands to be habitable by humans and other living organisms, they must be able to produce and support life. Today, 29% of land on earth is barren and unable to support life (microbes not withstanding); either covered by glaciers or made up of rocky or sedimentary terrain such as deserts, salt flats, sand dunes, and beaches.

Regenerative agriculture is the practice of enriching the land through farming and other agricultural practices; an effort that has been led by Indigenous Communities for thousands of years. Rather than stripping the ground of its nutrients, regenerative practices add to the health and strength of the soil and the overall ecosystem. In essence, it’s a decolonization of agriculture. ⁴“Regenerative Agriculture 101,” Natural Resources Defense Council ≫; “Native Growers Decolonize Regenerative Agriculture,” Green America ≫

Regenerative agriculture, as noted by One Earth, is “a pathway to an abundant and resilient future . . . shifting from the narrative of human dominion to one of healing our relationship with the Earth.” As a result, farms become more resistant to climate-related threats such as drought, flooding, and extreme shifts in temperature.⁵“Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems,” One Earth ≫