Current Campaigns

Our members of Congress need to know about community gardens and how they are feeding and improving the health of folks across the country. Send information about your gardens to your representatives. Invite them to garden events.

Contact information:
House members go to: http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/index.aspx.
For Senate, go to: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

November 2011
Four pieces of legislation have recently been introduced that include provisions that support community gardening and related food system changes. These bills are considered "marker" bills for the upcoming 2012 reauthorization of the Farm Bill. The more co-sponsors, the more likely the provisions will be included in the next Farm Bill. If your Representative is already a co-sponsor, send them a thank-you.

SEEKING ADDITIONAL CO-SPONSORS for Community Agriculture Development and Jobs Act of 2011 (H.R. 3225) Filed by Rep. Kaptur of Ohio. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.3225: for the complete bill language and current list of co-sponsors.

Click here for the Community Food Security Coalition's action alert for H.R. 3225.

SEEKING ADDITIONAL CO-SPONSORS for Local Farms, Food & Jobs Act (H.R. 3286 and S. 1773) Filed by Rep. Pingree of Maine and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.3286: for the complete bill language and current list of co-sponsors.

Click here for the Community Food Security Coalition's action alert for H.R. 3286 and S. 1773).

SEEKING ADDITIONAL CO-SPONSORS for Expanding Access to Farmers Markets Act (S. 1593) Filed by Sen. Gillibrand of New York. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:s.1593: for the complete bill language and current list of co-sponsors.

SEEKING ADDITIONAL CO-SPONSORS for Beginner Farmer & Rancher Opportunity Act (H.R. 3236 and S. 1850) . Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.03236: for the complete bill language and current list of co-sponsors.

There is numerous background information about the Farm Bill on the web. Here are a few links...
http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RS22131.pdf

Also check out these informative graphics created by the Hackathon Project about the Farm Bill.

All ACGA members are encouraged to join the Advocacy Committee, which meets monthly by toll-free conference call. To join the Committee, contact chair Betsy Johnson at 617-536-1711 or email betsy@bgjohnson.com.