Young Farmers Podcast

In celebration of farmers market week, we bring you an interview with Ben Feldman of the Farmers Market Coalition. Ben talks about the state of farmers markets across the nation; why farmers may soon have a hard time selling food to customers using SNAP/EBT; and how the farm bill could help farmers markets thrive.

Immigrants make up nearly three-quarters of all farmworkers in the United States. Their labor is critical to US farms and consumers, but being an immigrant farmworker can come along with some major challenges -- from the risk of deportation to basic safety. Lindsey Lusher Shute interviews Iris Figueroa, staff attorney at Farmworker Justice, about these issues. They talk about who farmworkers are, the recent Goodlatte bill to change guestworker policy, and a proposal to give farmworkers legal status. www.farmworkerjustice.org

Eric Sannerud of Mighty Axe Hops and the Central Minnesota Young Farmers Coalition talks about the campaign to pass the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit in Minnesota. This new law gives a tax credit to landowners who rent or sell their land to a new farmer. This year, a million dollars have been allocated for this bill and 162 farms were sold or rented to beginning farmers. Hear about how this ambitious group of young farmers stood up for the future of agriculture in the state and helped to solve one of its toughest challenges.

In the next 5 years, 100 million acres of farmland will need a new owner -- yet finding farmland is the hardest thing for young farmers. Why is that? Holly Rippon-Butler, director of the land program at the National Young Farmers Coalition, talks about why it's so hard for farmers to find land, how land can be protected for farmers, and a bill that young farmers are asking NY Governor Cuomo to sign.

Ferd Hoefner, the senior strategic advisor to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, schools us on how crop insurance and commodity programs work and why they're causing problems. This podcast is critical listening for anyone looking to understand the farm bill. Lindsey Lusher Shute interviews; Andrew Bahrenburg walks and records; Hannah Beal edits; music Lee Rosevere. Cerity – Workers’ Compensation Insurance

How do you pass a bipartisan bill these days? Lindsey Lusher Shute interviews NYFC's National Policy Director, Andrew Bahrenburg, on the passage of the Senate farm bill. They cover the nutrition debate and midterms, an unexpected Cuba wrinkle, and what's next in the political process.

What does it take to pass the farm bill? The House of Representatives voted in favor of a controversial Farm Bill on June 21st, and the Senate will vote on their version soon. Lindsey Lusher Shute interviews Andrew Bahrenburg, the National Young Farmers Coalition's policy director, about the highs and lows of farm bill politics. Stay tuned for Part II.