This week, on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m., students will have an opportunity to listen to a virtual climate information series regarding ‘The Farm Bill,’ a law that sets national policies for nutrition and agriculture. This two-part series is being hosted by a nonpartisan group of young adults, Change the Chamber, to spread information during Climate Week. According to the group, the Farm Bill is essential for many aspects of our food system.
Change the Chamber consists of many student groups and other environmental justice advocates across the country. They pursue various campaigns regarding sustainability to promote a cleaner, safer world, according to their website.
The first night of the series focuses on understanding what the Farm Bill is and educating the public about its history. This session will be hosted by Ben Lilliston from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Christopher Bosso, professor of public policy and politics at Northeastern University and Marianne Krasny, director of Cornell University’s Civic Ecology Lab. The hosts will discuss the similarities and differences between versions of the Farm Bill, according to their registration site.
The second night of the series, on Sept. 25, is more focused on educating people about the impacts of the Farm Bill, and why students should pay attention to it. The session is hosted by Geoff Horsfield, a policy director at the Environmental Working Group, Dr. Omanja Goswami, Interdisciplinary scientist in the Food & Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists and Vanessa Garcia Polanco, co-director of the National Young Farmers Coalition and organizational council member of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. This session is more focused on the environmental justice aspect of the Farm Bill, according to the registration site.
If anyone is unable to attend either of these sessions or would like to review the sources mentioned throughout the series, registrants will receive recordings and resources for both sessions following the conclusion of the event. Registrants are recommended to attend both sessions. Students can register for Session 1 and Session 2 on the Climate Week website.