SANTA FE, N.M. - Lawmakers in New Mexico are considering proposed legislation that an activist says amounts to being an "ag-gag," a term used to describe laws that seek to silence whistleblowers.
Eleanor Bravo, Southwest organizer for Food and Water Watch, said Senate Bill 221 would make it a crime for anyone who has made a video or a digital recording that shows injury to livestock to not submit the unedited, spliced or altered video to a law enforcement agency within 24 hours.
"It's a convoluted way of deterring whistleblowers, of people revealing things that are going on in these factory farms that are basically against the law, all kinds of laws," she said. "Could be environmental, could be animal protection."
SB 221 states that failing to provide the video to law enforcement within 24 hours would be a misdemeanor. Bravo said she believes the intent of the law is to keep video showing animal abuses at corporate farms from being given to the media and other sources.
State Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, the bill's sponsor, had not replied to our request for comment by the time this story was produced.
Bravo also pointed to House Bill 564, which she said would make it more difficult to sue corporate farms for causing undue noise, water and air pollution.
"It removes their right to seek damages for the effects of living near a huge factory farm," she said.
Bravo said bills in different forms during each year's legislative session seek to protect corporate agriculture.
The texts of SB 221 and HB 564 are online.
get more stories like this via email
William Peace University is teaming up with Produce Purpose, a nonprofit organization, to install a hydroponic farming operation on campus.
The new program aims to provide purposeful employment for individuals with special needs, promote sustainable and pesticide-free agriculture, and encourage healthy eating habits at the university.
Matthew Harvey, founder of Produce Purpose, said the program, inspired by his special needs brother, is not only to promote interactive learning but to address a real problem happening among young people.
"The age demographic between the ages of 18 and 29 is seeing the most weight gain in a person's lifetime," Harvey pointed out. "The freshman 15 slogan holds more truth than people really want to admit."
To bring the hydroponic farming operation to life on campus, Produce Purpose will also be partnering with Freight Farms, a hydroponic technology company based in Boston. Plans for the fully automated hydroponic farm are already underway, and the first crop is set to become available for harvest this fall.
The collaboration goes beyond merely providing fresh produce to students; it also creates multidisciplinary educational opportunities for them. Harvey highlighted the program will be accessible to students studying subjects such as biology, interactive design, psychology and special education.
"For example, if you are a physics student and you want to learn more about how different colored light waves can affect the growth of plants, you can see that in the red and blue light wave tech that the container farm has developed and perfected," Harvey explained.
Harvey added the program will hire about three special-needs farmers.
get more stories like this via email
Georgia farmers are watching a bill that is being reintroduced in Congress for ways to help their farms become more sustainable and less likely to contribute to the warming climate. The Agriculture Resilience Act is making a comeback this year after languishing in Congress since 2019. Its goal is to make agriculture a 'net-zero emissions' industry by 2040. Farming now contributes about 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions.
Lotanna Obodozie, Climate Campaign director with National Young Farmers Coalition, said her group hopes the bill gives farmers more access to the resources they need to increase sustainability.
"Farmers are experiencing a lot of barriers when trying to use or apply for USDA programs, and so I think that is a challenge that farmers could face," she said.
Agriculture is a $70 billion part of Georgia's economy. The bill focuses on assisting farmers in adopting eco-friendly practices, and would fund research into cutting-edge farming methods. The Agriculture Resilience Act has just been reintroduced. Previous bills had no co-sponsors from the Georgia delegation.
The legislation also includes measures to address social-justice issues in farming communities. It outlines ways to support minority-owned farms and promote equitable access to resources like land and water. Obodozie said this focus is needed to bridge gaps in agriculture across the nation.
"One thing that's really important is just how can we make sure that these programs are accessible for all farmers - not just large farmers, but also small farmers, beginning farmers, farmers of color, and other historically disadvantaged farmers," she said.
Some people have suggested adding this legislation to the 2023 Farm Bill, which Congress is scheduled to begin debating in September. In Georgia, over 42,000 farms span more than 10 million acres, according to the USDA.
get more stories like this via email
Congress has been holding hearings on the next Farm Bill, which has major implications for the nation's food system. It also shapes conservation programs, and Wisconsin producers hope a key funding source is not left behind.
The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative helps farmers carry out managed grazing, where animals are rotated on and off parcels of land for foraging, allowing other sections of the property to recover. Ag experts said it makes the land and animals healthier.
Mary Anderson, council president of the River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council and a farmer from Western Wisconsin, said the initiative's technical assistance is vital.
"We're able to avoid pitfalls, and it helps make our operations more successful," Anderson explained.
Much like hiring a professional to suggest home renovations, a grazing specialist helps a farmer find ways to make their land work for managed grazing. Supporters of the initiative not only want reauthorization in the Farm Bill, but also seek stable funding at $50 million annually.
The bill is passed every five years, and could again become mired in debate over Republican calls for cuts to SNAP benefits.
In addition to technical assistance, the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative provides funding for outreach such as conferences and webinars. Anderson pointed out there is a lot of demand, but not enough funding, and not rising to the challenge could hurt the movement.
"So, it's very important that farmers get not only technical assistance, but education," Anderson emphasized. "Then of course, research dollars too, that will guide us to do a better job."
The River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council helps property owners navigate issues as they look to make their land more sustainable. In the most recent fiscal year, the council was revived with a $14 million subsidy, after funding had been cut for more than a decade.
get more stories like this via email
Contact
