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Thank you to all who participated in NESAWG's It Takes a Region, working conference, in February.  Whether or not you had the chance to participate, you can stay in touch with the Work Groups by signing up here, to receive updates on -- and contribute to -- specific Work Group topics.  Work Group Leaders are posting session notes here. For the most recent notes, look in the Work Group section, choose your Work Group topic, and review the boxes labeled Discussion Forum, Page 1 or Page 2. Please note that we are in the midst of developing improved tools for sharing information within and among Work Groups.  We are also fundraising for a Work Group liaison, and will keep you posted.

Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013

S.679 and H.R.1414

Creating jobs and spurring economic growth through food and farms

Local and regional agriculture is a major driver in the farm economy.  Producers are responding to skyrocketing demand for local and regional food by increasing production, creating new markets, and launching new businesses.  Locally marketed foods accounted for an estimated $4.8 billion in gross sales in 2008, the number of farmers markets nationwide jumped 17 percent in 2011, and all 50 states now have farm-to-school programs.  Despite these opportunities, significant infrastructure, marketing, and information barriers are limiting growth in local and regional agriculture.

Bill Basics

The Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act will drive economic growth by:

• Creating economic opportunities for farmers and ranchers through local and regional markets.
• Improving processing and distribution infrastructure for local and regional agriculture.
• Expanding access to healthy food for consumers, including underserved communities.
• Providing research, training, and information that farm entrepreneurs need to be successful.

Why It Matters

• Small, mid-sized, and large farm businesses currently sell through local markets and will benefit from investments in local and regional agriculture.
• Empirical research shows that expanding local agriculture in a community can increase employment and income in that community.
• Every two jobs created at a farmers market supports an additional job in another sector of the local economy.
• The bill’s investment in local and regional agriculture amounts to less than one-sixth of one percent of USDA’s budget, yet will address the needs of a large and growing sector of American agriculture.

For More Information

• To learn more about the provisions in the bill, visit the Bill Summary page.
• To view the breakdown of the bill by farm bill title, visit the Section-by-Section page.
• To view press coverage of the bill, visit the Press page.
• To view Congressional support for the bill, visit the Co-Sponsors page.
• To view organizational support for the bill, visit the Organizational Support page.
• To learn more about how you can get involved, visit our “Take Action” page.

(last updated April 16)