Dive Brief:
- U.S. progressives on Thursday introduced a push to crack down on food industry concentration and strengthen workers’ rights in the 2023 Farm Bill.
- A package of bills would place a moratorium on large agribusiness mergers and compel federal agencies to retroactively review past deals. It would also require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to only do business with companies that have strengthened pay and working conditions.
- Texas Rep. Greg Casar, whip of the congressional progressive caucus, said during a press conference that lawmakers hope to move the measures independently through Congress, in addition to amending the farm bill with "significant portions of these bills."
Dive Insight:
Progressives believe they can drum up bipartisan support for their farm bill playbook, which they say contains provisions championed by both parties.
The bills contain measures that have previously been supported by some Republicans, such as a requirement that the USDA only buy food produced in America for its school lunch program. Additionally, the legislative package would mandate country-of-origin labeling for beef, pork and dairy products.
"There is critical legislation inside of these bills that we think should be able to garner support on both sides of the aisle, like supporting small farmers, like taking on corporate monopolies and supporting antitrust law," Casar said.
Negotiations for this year's farm bill will likely be messy, as some Republicans take a hardline stance on spending. An appropriations bill funding the USDA and related agencies remains stalled amid political infighting, and Congress departed for August recess without releasing a draft of the farm bill, which is set to expire Sept. 30.
However, a divided Republican party could open an opportunity for Democrats to make major changes to the farm bill and transform the U.S. food system, said Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer.
"The Republicans sort of collapsed trying to move their agricultural provisions, and they're divided," Blumenauer said at the press conference. "This is an opportunity for us to embed in the farm bill – that used to be a must pass piece of legislation — provisions like we have in these bills that can make a profound difference.”
