Unpacking the House Farm Bill: Part 2

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 3/27 4:44A Laura Zaks

Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a four-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 5. The...

‘Native Foods Have Sustained People for Generations’

Civil Eats 3/24 10:00P Jack Strong

My name is Jack Strong, and I’m a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians . I’m the executive chef of The Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg, Oregon, and I’m a partner with the Siletz Valley...

A Hidden Crop for Corporate Tech: Farm Data

Civil Eats 3/22 10:00P Elsa Wenzel

Andrew Nelson is a self-described “tech-forward” farmer near Garfield, a tiny town in eastern Washington close to the Idaho border. He uses popular precision agriculture services, paired with...

Should Every State Have Its Own Farm Bill?

Civil Eats 3/18 10:00P Lisa Held

When Christa Barfield started farming in a 24-square-foot greenhouse in her Philadelphia backyard in 2020, she had no experience or training. She just knew she wanted to grow healthy vegetables and...

Op-ed: The AI ‘Revolution’ Is a False Promise for Food Systems

Civil Eats 3/16 10:00P Anthony Pahnke

A version of this article originally appeared in The Deep Dish, our members-only newsletter.  Become a member today  and get the next issue directly in your inbox. Big tech’s  influence  on the current federal administration is undeniable. During...

Op-ed: The Persian Gulf Oil Crisis Is a Food Crisis

Civil Eats 3/16 10:00P Raj Patel

American farmers are in trouble. Spring planting is here, and the inputs they need—urea, phosphate, the nitrogen for corn, wheat, and soy—are mostly imported from the Persian Gulf. In fact, up to 30...

Small Specialty Crop Growers Are Opting Out of Federal Farm Aid

Civil Eats 3/16 9:08A Rebekah Alvey

Some small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers are skipping out on federal farm aid, citing onerous reporting requirements they say are not compatible with their farms and may not substantially pay off. In December, the U.S. Department of...

House Farm Bill Doesn’t Address Farm Challenges, Critics Warn

Civil Eats 3/10 11:37A Rebekah Alvey

Farm and food groups have urged Congress for years to act on a full five-year farm bill, in hopes of providing more certainty to the U.S. food system. Farm bill discussions resumed in Congress last week, but experts say the existing proposals...

How to Start a Seed and Plant Swap

Civil Eats 2/25 10:00P Jordan Charbonneau

On the last Saturday in January, Natalie Aird and Josie Flatgard spent the morning at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa, laying out packets and jars of open-pollinated and...

The Power of Perennial Agriculture

Civil Eats 2/17 10:00P Christina Cooke

The U.S. food system operates a lot like fast fashion, say Liz Carlisle and Aubrey Streit Krug. In their new book, Living Roots: The Promise of Perennial Foods , they explain that most crops—like the corn, wheat, rice, and soybeans that dominate...

Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Advance Offshore U.S. Aquaculture

Civil Eats 2/12 10:00P Meg Wilcox

Article Summary • The MARA Act would enable commercial-scale demonstration projects of all types— finfish, seaweed, and shellfish—in federal waters (3 to 200 nautical miles offshore). • Supporters say it’s needed as a first step toward cutting...

Release: 500 Farmers Urge Congress to Act Amid Growing Farm Crisis

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 2/11 1:48A Laura Zaks

Release: 500 Farmers Urge Congress to Act Amid Growing Farm Crisis Washington, DC, February 11, 2026 – Today, a letter signed by 500 farmers and ranchers from across the country was delivered to key members of Congress urging immediate action to...

Mid-Atlantic Farmers Share Challenges

Civil Eats 2/3 10:00P The Civil Eats Editors

Future Harvest is a non-profit organization that trains and supports farmers in Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington D.C. in order to advance an agricultural system that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment....

The US Farmers Saving Palestinian Seeds

Civil Eats 2/2 10:00P Jennifer Cole

Article Summary • Conflict has long threatened the survival of traditional Palestinian crops, and Israeli attacks since 2023 have destroyed nearly all the farmland in Gaza. • The West Bank-based...

Fighting Hunger in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Civil Eats 2/1 10:00P Elena Valeriote

Article Summary • Arkansas has had the highest food insecurity rate in the nation for three years in a row, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). • In the town of...