Dear Friend,Last week, I joined Meghna Chakrabarti on NPR’s “On Point” to discuss whether it is time to rethink how the Farm Bill works. My answer is a resounding yes.Congress is on track to spend more than a trillion and a half dollars on the upcoming Farm Bill. This legislation sets federal agricultural and nutrition policy, yet much of the money is not well spent. It subsidizes a diet that makes Americans sick. It props up large agribusinesses that squeeze out small family farms. It promotes practices that damage the environment. Despite the bill’s massive price tag, farm country is in crisis. Farm bankruptcies and farmer suicides are increasing at concerning rates. In short, we pay too much to the wrong people to grow the wrong food the wrong way in the wrong places, with far too little to show for it. I spent two years traveling Oregon asking, "what would a Farm Bill look like if it was just for Oregon?" What I heard was a radically different approach. Farm policy should solve problems, not perpetuate them. The stakes are very high which is why I’m working to write a new Farm Bill this year.My vision is a Farm Bill that:Targets the farm safety new to producers who need support, and makes it easier for small, diversified farms to benefit from Farm Bill programs.Invests in performance-based conservation programs that fight climate change and improve soil health.Improves access to health fruits and vegetables, especially for low- and moderate-income Oregonians.Reforms the bloated crop insurance program that does little to support the needs of Oregon agriculture.Everyone who eats has a stake in the Farm Bill. You can listen to the full interview here.Courage,Earl