It’s about time that our national policies take account of circumstances that we present to young people. It seems that we finally may have a couple of representatives working on the Farm Bill of 2012 that could improve lives for the next generation!
With both USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson speaking up about opportunities for rural youth and the financial hurdles of young farmers, respectively, we’re excited to hear what policies might come from a Farm bill that is more focused on improving future communities.
“The difficulties for rural America mean that young rural people have fewer opportunities. Without viable employment opportunities, secure healthcare, modern infrastructure, and the growth of new industries, young people are choosing to leave their rural homes in search of jobs and opportunities elsewhere.” – Tom Vilsack
“One of the issues that needs to be looked at or addressed is, are these direct payments being capitalized into land values and rents? And is that making it more difficult for young farmers to get started?” – Collin Peterson
With so much concern for the next generation, we hope that we’re asking the right questions about health, the environment, and community. If these quotes are any indication, we seem to be stepping in the right direction.
There are four upcoming scheduled meetings around the country:
Friday, April 30th Des Moines, Iowa
Saturday, May 1st Nampa, Idaho
Monday, May 3rd Fresno, California
Tuesday, May 4th Cheyenne, Wyoming
We look forward to hearing more about what comes up in these hearings, and to finding out more about what we can do to advocate for policies that will impact our future generations.