2023 Farm Bill Policy Priorities
Priority #1 Advance policies to improve access to affordable nutritious foods among those experiencing food insecurity or food apartheid.
Food Access Working Group ongoing 2020-2023
The coalition continues hosting the Food Access Working Group quarterly, with help from staff, to coordinate efforts around priority #1 and to support collaboration and networking among stakeholders.
Fare Food Shopping ongoing 2020-2023
The coalition collaborates with Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and others to advance recommendations of the 2019 Better By Bus report, beginning with eliminating bus fares in bi-state metro.
Kansas Food Sales Tax through December 2022
The coalition pursues a reduction in the state sales tax on food in Kansas in 2020 to a level competitive with neighboring states.
Government Nutrition Programs ongoing 2020-2023
The coalition advocates for state and federal policies which protect, improve access to, and increase use of government nutrition programs among eligible residents.
Priority #2 Improve community food security through planning and zoning policies which ensure urban farmers may operate successfully.
Task Force Report July 2020-December 2021
When the urban farm zoning and planning task force has issued its report, the coalition will pursue its recommendations in a manner consistent with food justice.
Advocacy Planning & Action January 2022-December 2023
Intersecting Priorities
It will sometimes be necessary to advocate for policies that are not described in either priority area, but pertain to both and advance food justice in essential ways. The coalition will work in allyship with stakeholder-led efforts to advance food justice. Examples include, but are not limited to the broad topics described below.
Policies improving wages, benefits, and working conditions so that food and farm workers can afford nutritious locally grown food.
Food-chain workers are often exempt from labor protections like minimum wage and overtime pay, and do not receive benefits such as healthcare or paid sick leave. Food and farm workers are disproportionately likely to experience food insecurity and to live in communities impacted by food apartheid. As a result, they often rely on lower-priced food with hidden costs to their health, the environment and the community. Because low-wage workers are disproportionately Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), these impacts contribute to health and economic disparities.
Policies that support ownership and competitiveness of and fair and just labor practices for small farms.
Subsidies and other policies obscure the true cost of food to the health of individuals, communities and the environment.
Small-scale, diversified or sustainable farms are often unable to participate in these programs. The resulting cost differences are a critical barrier to small farm viability, particularly among BIPOC farmers or those serving communities impacted by food apartheid.
Priority #1 Advance policies to improve access to affordable nutritious foods among those experiencing food insecurity or food apartheid.
Food Access Working Group ongoing 2020-2023
The coalition continues hosting the Food Access Working Group quarterly, with help from staff, to coordinate efforts around priority #1 and to support collaboration and networking among stakeholders.
Fare Food Shopping ongoing 2020-2023
The coalition collaborates with Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and others to advance recommendations of the 2019 Better By Bus report, beginning with eliminating bus fares in bi-state metro.
- Steering committee members and staff mobilize partners for decision maker education.
- Steering committee and staff advocate for necessary local government actions.
Kansas Food Sales Tax through December 2022
The coalition pursues a reduction in the state sales tax on food in Kansas in 2020 to a level competitive with neighboring states.
- Staff monitor the Governor's Council on Tax Reform and their final report (due December 2021) and work with partners to respond to related legislation.
Government Nutrition Programs ongoing 2020-2023
The coalition advocates for state and federal policies which protect, improve access to, and increase use of government nutrition programs among eligible residents.
- Steering committee and staff educate stakeholders about Child Nutrition Act or other federal policies impacting food security via outreach tools and presentations.
- Steering committee amplify stakeholders voices and advocacy, using story collection postcards and other tools to ensure state and federal decision makers hear from them.
- Steering committee and staff work with partners in each state to identify and advance strategies for improving nutrition program participation among eligibles.
Priority #2 Improve community food security through planning and zoning policies which ensure urban farmers may operate successfully.
Task Force Report July 2020-December 2021
When the urban farm zoning and planning task force has issued its report, the coalition will pursue its recommendations in a manner consistent with food justice.
- Staff assist the steering committee in developing an advocacy plan based on task force recommendations.
- Staff develop education and advocacy tools to support the advocacy plan and amplify the voice of local urban farmers, especially BIPOC farmers and those working and selling in communities impacted by food apartheid.
- Steering committee and staff will begin outreach to targeted stakeholders and decision makers, educating them about needs, opportunities, best practices and recommendations identified by the task force.
Advocacy Planning & Action January 2022-December 2023
- The steering committee and staff pursue implementation of the prioritized policy recommendations in accordance with the advocacy plan.
Intersecting Priorities
It will sometimes be necessary to advocate for policies that are not described in either priority area, but pertain to both and advance food justice in essential ways. The coalition will work in allyship with stakeholder-led efforts to advance food justice. Examples include, but are not limited to the broad topics described below.
Policies improving wages, benefits, and working conditions so that food and farm workers can afford nutritious locally grown food.
Food-chain workers are often exempt from labor protections like minimum wage and overtime pay, and do not receive benefits such as healthcare or paid sick leave. Food and farm workers are disproportionately likely to experience food insecurity and to live in communities impacted by food apartheid. As a result, they often rely on lower-priced food with hidden costs to their health, the environment and the community. Because low-wage workers are disproportionately Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), these impacts contribute to health and economic disparities.
Policies that support ownership and competitiveness of and fair and just labor practices for small farms.
Subsidies and other policies obscure the true cost of food to the health of individuals, communities and the environment.
Small-scale, diversified or sustainable farms are often unable to participate in these programs. The resulting cost differences are a critical barrier to small farm viability, particularly among BIPOC farmers or those serving communities impacted by food apartheid.
