Leaders of several prominent Catholic institutions asked members of
Congress to provide for the hungry, protect the interests of farmers and
promote environmental stewardship with the 2013 Farm Bill.
“In the face of continuing budgetary constraints, the 2013 Farm Bill is
an opportunity to address our nation’s broken and outdated agricultural
policies,” they said.
“This is a crucial time to build a more just framework that puts poor
and hungry people first, serves small and moderate-sized family farms,
promotes sustainable stewardship of the land and helps vulnerable
farmers and rural communities both at home and in developing countries.”
In a May 9 letter sent to congressional agriculture committees, Catholic
leaders urged the nation’s lawmakers to consider the needs of both
farmers and the poor as they discuss proposed farming legislation.
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif., and Bishop Richard E.
Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, signed the letter in their role as U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops committee chairmen.
Bishop Blaire heads
the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, while Bishop
Pates leads the Committee on International Justice and Peace.
The letter was also signed by Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic
Charities USA; Dr. Carolyn Woo, president of Catholic Relief Services;
and James Ennis, executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life
Conference.
The Farm Bill, passed approximately every five years, lays out the main
agricultural policy for the United States. Current regulations are found
in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, which runs through
September 2013. New legislation will then replace that law.
The authors of the letter drew upon Catholic teaching, quoting a
document from the U.S. Bishops which states that the “primary goals of
agriculture policies should be providing food for all people and
reducing poverty among farmers and farmworkers in this country and
abroad.”
In order to achieve these goals, the writers identified five top
priorities for the bill: support for the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program – formerly known as food stamps – to help the hungry;
development of rural communities; continued funding for emergency aid
and food security overseas; promotion of environmental conservation
programs among farmers; and subsidies for famers “who truly need
assistance” and engage in sustainable farming practices.
“We ask that you support a Farm Bill that provides for poor and hungry
people both at home and abroad, offers effective support for those who
grow our food, ensures fairness to family farmers and ranchers, and
promotes stewardship of the land,” the signatories urged.