Think the farm bill doesn't impact Northern Nevada? Learn more here....

The 2007 Farm Bill is currently being discussed in the Senate and could be voted on some time this week. It’s easy to think the farm bill doesn’t really impact what goes on in Nevada because farming isn’t what puts our state on the map…but the farm bill effects everyone who lives in the US and many people who don't. First of all, little in the farm bill is about actual farming as we imagine it. The farm bill is why real farmers are going bust, a huge portion of supermarket floor space is devoted to food products and a teenie portion to actual food, and why you’ll find soda, chicken nuggets, and tater tots in your kid’s school lunch before you’ll see fresh fruits, vegetables, and real meat. The farm bill is bizarre, disastrous…and complicated. Way too complicated for the average politician, let alone the average American with a really full life-plate. Here a couple of resources that help break down the barrier to understanding.

Food Fight: the Citizen’s Guide to a Food and Farm Bill, by Dan Imhoff is a concise, accessible description of the farm bill and how it works. The author explains the intent of original bill and how it developed into the current program, the problems with the program, the environmental and financial impact, national and global issues, and much more. But it’s a pretty quick read…finished it in a weekend. If you’re looking to learn more about where your food comes from and what you can do to fix what isn’t working, I highly recommend this book.

Environmental Working Group hosts website and a blog designed to track the farm bill, the subsidies, and ways the we can help influence change. Interesting reading, if a bit intense. Sort of the like the actual farm bill.