Black farmers in Kentucky said they have benefited from participating in Farms to Food Banks, an agricultural program funneling leftover produce from local farms to regional food pantries, and into the hands of Kentucky families in need.

Tatum Lewis of Black Roots Farm in Clark County said he is working to help raise awareness about the program among the state's farmers of color. Lewis views the program as an opportunity for farmers to generate cash from what they might otherwise plow under.

"I wanted to spread that message to minority farmers that there's another income source that you probably haven't noticed or used, or even known about," Lewis explained. "And it's a great opportunity to help supplement your income."

Lexington-based Complexion Community Development and the Community Farm Alliance in Berea recently partnered with Feeding Kentucky on grants to help increase diversity among participants in the Farms to Food Banks program. According to the nonprofit Feeding Kentucky, more than three million pounds of Kentucky-grown produce were distributed to people in need though the program.

Lewis noted a lack of physical representation means many Black farmers are left out of opportunities, and has been working on a project to map out where Black farmers are positioned across the state, with the goal of helping producers boost marketing strategies and access resources for farm projects.

"Being able to show them a physical representation during the Black Farmers Conference in March," Lewis outlined. "Where these black farmers are, where our voices are, where our products are, how we how they can do their transportation and distribution lines."

Lewis added cooperatives are one tool farmers of color can use to grow their businesses.

"Joining a co-op helps you get your voice out there and start moving things, and gaining that knowledge that you need," Lewis emphasized. "And they can also help kick-start your distribution lines."

According to federal data, the number of Black farm operators has plummeted over the last century. Only about 1% of the nation's farmers are Black, making up only 0.5% of total U.S. farm sales.

Interested Kentucky farmers can contact Feeding Kentucky at 859-986-7422 or online at produce@feedingky.org.

The proposed merger between the Idaho-based grocery chain Albertsons and Kroger has antitrust laws in the spotlight, as the supermarket companies are already the two largest in the country.

Idaho has the third most Albertsons stores in the country, with 39 across the state. Announced in October, the merger has been under intense scrutiny.

Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, said the grocery industry is already consolidated, which hurts workers, small businesses and consumers.

"We've seen food production workers and farmers getting paid less for food, and we've seen consumers paying more for groceries," Mitchell observed. "What's happening is that you've got a small number of companies in the middle -- the middlemen, including the supermarket chains -- who are absorbing more and more of that spending for themselves."

Mitchell noted since the announcement of the merger, Congress has enacted what she calls the most significant antitrust legislation in 50 years. The Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act was passed in the government spending package in December. It lowers fees on smaller acquisitions and increases them for the largest mergers, raising more money for Congress to use to fund antitrust enforcement.

Mitchell pointed out consolidation especially is harmful for rural areas, which depend more on small and mid-sized businesses for their economy. She noted the country has seen a sharp decline in businesses of this type.

"Rural areas have been particularly hard hit by that because, if you're a small town, you don't have a corporate headquarters of a giant company, right?" Mitchell explained. "You rely naturally on smaller businesses and those businesses have really been hurt and squeezed by the monopoly problem that we're seeing."

The spending package also included the State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act, which makes it easier for state attorneys general litigating antitrust cases to remain in their selected courts.

Mitchell added the changes have support from lawmakers in both parties.

"We've seen this growing momentum in Congress to address antitrust, and it's bipartisan," Mitchell stressed. "That's one of the things that I think is striking in this moment, given the partisan divisions on just about any other issue you can think of."

The Center for Rural Affairs wants the Iowa Legislature to prioritize water quality and renewable energy in the new session.

One priority is more funding for the 27 Watershed Management Authorities in Iowa.

Kate Hansen, senior policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, said funding for the people who staff the authorities is critical, because they are working with locals who know the area best, and have insight into ways to protect Iowa's water.

"Quite literally, boots on the ground," Hansen explained. "They're building those relationships with local landowners and farmers who are ready to implement new practices, but maybe don't know where to look, or don't know if there's even funding available for them."

The Center is also asking lawmakers to consider renewable energy's role in rural Iowa. There has been legislative resistance in the last few years, but Hansen said the Center continues working to promote local cooperation.

"Decisions regarding land use are best made at the local level through a process in which the community and local leaders are involved," Hansen said.

As the popularity of green energy grows across the country, many Iowa counties have not jumped on board.

Andy Johnson, executive director for Clean Energy Districts of Iowa, said opponents have limited where solar panels can be installed based on the amount of corn a farm can grow; the higher the potential crop yield, the less chance of solar being installed on the land.

"The point is, it's still a poison pill that would effectively ban solar from almost all farmland, because to build significant scale solar, you need to put together significant acreage," Johnson contended. "And if any little piece is over the limit that they're talking about, that you need to put together a project, then it would effectively nix the whole project."

Johnson added Iowa has the potential to become a leader in solar power production, much as it has done with wind power, but said the Legislature will need political muscle to overcome fossil-fuel industry opposition.

Tractor maker Deere and Company has reached a deal with the American Farm Bureau Federation to allow independent mechanics to work on John Deere brand farm equipment.

Until now, if a mechanic not certified by Deere touched the high-dollar gear, it could void the company warranty, much like cellphone companies which void your warranty if you or an "unauthorized party" fixes your phone. Some farm equipment can cost a million dollars or more.

Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, said having to wait for a certified Deere mechanic at planting or harvest time, when repairs are most common, is costly to a farmer who needs to be in the fields.

"So a farmer can't touch the machine legally," Scholten explained. "And is stuck in a backlog to get somebody to come out to their farm, so they can fix their machine, so they can have a harvest."

There are 85,000 farmers in Iowa, and while not all of them have John Deere equipment, those who do will now have more options to get it fixed. Right to repair measures are being addressed across the country, but so far the deals have been agreements stopping short of binding legislation.

Farmers have said limiting who they can hire to work on their equipment is anticompetitive and hurts their business. Scholten added farmers cannot be expected to thrive under such restrictions, and sees the agreement as critical, given the investments farmers make.

"Can you imagine buying a million-dollar piece of equipment and not having the rights to fix it?" Scholten asked. "To me, that's absurd. Ultimately, I'm on the side of the farmers."

The Farm Bureau has said the agreement is just the beginning of addressing the right to repair issue. President Joe Biden signed an executive order in 2021 to limit anticompetitive practices, which advocates argued should apply in these cases. The issue could also be part of this year's Farm Bill.