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Friday, February 7, 2025

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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Small farmers in Mississippi seek greater support amid rising costs

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Thursday, January 9, 2025   

Small farmers across Mississippi are calling for more government support to help navigate rising costs and industry challenges. Robbie Pollard, owner of Start 2 Finish Farm in Panola County, has grown fresh produce to supply food-is-medicine projects to improve health outcomes in underserved communities. His farm focuses on sustainable practices and local distribution, but like many small-scale operations, he faces hurdles in scaling up to meet demand.

Pollard said smaller farms often struggle to access the resources and markets available to larger producers, making it challenging to remain competitive.

"Maybe if they can make it easier for smaller-scale growers to utilize the programs that they have, like making it easier for us to access loans to be able to purchase larger equipment so we can be able to scale up," he explained.

While Pollard acknowledged that some government programs, such as food-is-medicine initiatives, have provided valuable market opportunities, he believes more must be done to address the rising equipment and labor costs. Congress recently extended the 2018 Farm Bill for one year, allocating $10 billion in economic aid and temporary funding for federal programs.

Joe Maxwell, chief strategy officer with with the nonprofit advocacy group Farm Action, highlights the broader pressures on small to mid-sized farms caused by large, corporate ag monopolies.

"Eighty-eight percent of rural voters in battleground states during this last election cycle say they would be more favorable toward a candidate who supports cracking down on meat-processing monopolies and ensuring local businesses can compete," Maxwell said.

Maxwell predicted food producers will face greater challenges under President Donald Trump's tariff plan. But he also sees a new Farm Bill as an opportunity to support small farmers, consumers and local supply chains. A Farm Action report shows more than 140,000 farmers nationwide went out of business between 2017 and 2022.


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