For Amber Waves of Grain

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Farming advocates also want to strengthen programs in the Farm Bill that will support new farmers. The most exciting growth in farming is happening in small- to medium-size farms, and among women and minorities, says Mark Schultz, a policy director at the Land Stewardship Project: "We need to come up with policies that support that kind of growth."

Connecting Farms to Schools and Cities
Instead of offering greasy pizza and prepackaged french fries, schools could score a win-win by buying food from local farms. Students would get a healthier diet of fruits and vegetables, and local farmers would get a steady income.

Advocates are also looking to insert into the Farm Bill opportunities for farmers to sell their products in nearby cities -- at farmers' markets and via community supported agriculture, for example.

Livestock and Poultry
Those who raise animals are under considerable strain these days, as consolidation in the meat industry has been rampant. Activists want to push rules, such as the Captive Supply Reform Act and the Packer Ban, that would require large-scale meatpackers to buy livestock in an open, public manner and prevent them from using anti-competitive tactics to drive down the market price of livestock.

Poultry farmers are particularly burdened by consolidation in the meat industry, since they now have to assume most of the investment and risk when they're signing contracts. Advocates will push laws that will make those contracts fair.

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