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758 South Ave
Rochester, New York 14620
Phone: 716-316-5839
Fax: 510-835-2845
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Policy Papers
Current food and agriculture policy overwhelmingly supports the interests of industrial agribusiness and global supply chains. According to the FY 2007 Budget Summary and Performance Evaluation published by USDA, 81% of $85 billion in actual outlays in 2005 went to just three mandated programs (food stamps, 38%; child nutrition, 15%; and commodity support, 27%). Such expenditures should result in improved nutrition for the general population and especially for children. However, more people now recognize the opposite outcome—a myriad of health problems, including a childhood obesity epidemic, associated with industrial, manufactured edible substitute substances sold as food.
In the run-up to the next farm bill, progressive policy initiatives situate themselves on the margin of federal policy. These initiatives, such as the Farm and Food Policy project, while they provide invaluable opportunities for building strong collaboration in support of incremental change, address a small number of discretionary programs with relatively small amounts of funding. A small movement within the community security movement has started to advocate for substantial structural change in the 2007 Farm Bill while at the same time preserving vital social safety net programs like food stamps. Since 60% of eligible individuals actually participate in the food stamp program, it appears that policy makers could re-allocate a portion of food stamp funding without taking food stamps away from eligible people. For example, 10% of 2005 food stamp outlays amounts to $326 million dollars, a substantial resource for rebuilding local food system infrastructure. Currently the USDA Community Food Project Competitive Grant Program receives only $5 million, and the USDA Risk Management Agency Outreach and Education Program also receives only $5 million.
Through our research, NYSAWG has begun to address these funding and procedural problems, find workable solutions, and take steps to implement those policy solutions towards fixing our broken food system in New York State.
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A Policy Initiative for a Demonstration Project of National Significance for America's (1.00 Mb)
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