Jessica Mathews / Public News Service / NMews@whmi.com


Michigan farmers, food assistance and environmental groups are urging the U-S Senate to reject the Farm Bill passed by the U-S House.

Speaking at a virtual press conference hosted by Progress Michigan, the groups said the legislation favors large agricultural corporations over working families and independent farmers –preserving SNAP cuts, weakening conservation efforts, and failing to address rising costs for Michigan's small and mid-size farms.

Bob Thompson is president of the Michigan Farmers Union. He said "We believe that while it's important to advance a Farm Bill, that a bad one is worse than not having one."

Those in favor of the legislation contend it modernizes farm programs, strengthens crop insurance protections and provides more long-term certainty for agricultural producers navigating inflation and market instability.

Opponents of the bill also warn the legislation could make it harder for struggling families by putting limits on future Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Statistics show nearly 13 to 15-percent of Michigan households rely on SNAP.

Dana Mohammad, statewide coalitions director with Detroit Action, says families in Michigan and across the country are already feeling the impact of billions of dollars in food assistance cuts. She said "We want to be clear that SNAP and WIC are not solutions to poverty. They are literal lifelines. Weakening them will force families into impossible choices between food, rent, medicine and care for their loved ones."

Environmental and food sovereignty advocates say the legislation also falls short on long-term sustainability and support for regenerative agriculture practices. Nichole Biber is with Clean Water Action and said "Those things are not only not expanded, but they've been decreased at the time when we are in an insecure place in terms of climate impacts, drought, all of these unknowns."

Backers of the legislation maintain the Farm Bill still invests in conservation programs while balancing the need to keep food production strong and farms financially stable.