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An Article for Your Church's Newsletter
It's been said that the U.S. farm bill should actually be named the U.S. rural development bill – because much of the total federal support for rural areas of the United States comes from this legislation. As the 2007 U.S. farm bill takes shape in Congress this summer, Bread for the World members are calling for broad reform. A key component of our Offering of Letters, Seeds of Change, is to strengthen our country's rural communities.
The farm bill originated in the midst of the Great Depression as a way to help people in rural areas. Today, the goal remains the same, but the rural landscape has changed dramatically. In the 1930s, nearly a quarter of the U.S. population worked in agriculture. Now, less than 2 percent of all Americans work on farms, and the majority of rural jobs are in service industries such as retail outlets. So commodity payment programs – a major component of the farm bill – cannot be considered a substitute for wider rural development efforts. To remain true to its original intent, the farm bill needs to expand its programs to support the rural United States in its reality today.
Hunger and poverty are more common in rural areas, and many rural counties have lost population as people move away to seek better jobs and services. Mines, oil fields, factories and big box stores have opened and closed, contributing to "boom and bust" cycles.
To break this cycle, it is essential to promote entrepreneurship and strengthen the infrastructure in rural communities. In the past, funds authorized for rural water quality, rural firefighters, and other vital services have been meager and sometimes not made available at all.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the challenges facing rural communities, many strategies show promise – from increasing entrepreneurship and attracting a diverse business base to improving access to technology. Rural development programs have generally been small and a low priority in past farm bills. Our Seeds of Change campaign urges Congress to give rural development greater visibility and more resources. Only then will more rural communities be able to find solutions that work for them.
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Facts: The Rural United States and the Farm Bill
- More than 350 rural counties across the United States suffer "persistent poverty" – poverty rates higher than 20 percent that have lasted for the past 30 years.
- Food insecurity and hunger are more common in rural areas of the United States than in urban areas. The latest available figures show that 12 percent of rural households are food insecure, compared to 11 percent of all households.
- Nearly 14 percent of rural people live below the poverty line, compared to 12.5 percent of all households. For children, the situation is worse: 20 percent of rural children live in poverty, compared to 17 percent in urban areas.
- Just 6 percent of all rural residents work in farming, and in 2002, two-thirds of farming households reported that the farm operator or his/her spouse also held a job off the farm.
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Reflections: Talking Justice in the Pews
In June 2007, several hundred Bread for the World members and others wanting to connect to the movement to overcome hunger and poverty gathered in Washington, DC for Gathering 2007, Sowing Seeds: Growing the Movement. Over the course of several days, attendees had the opportunity to participate in different venues designed to stimulate discussion and share experiences. One such 'conversation space', entitled Talking Justice in the Pews, brought together pastors, lay leaders, and many others in a rousing conversation about introducing advocacy to the local church and the challenges that arise.
The conversation space was hosted by Bread for he World's Senior Associate for Church Outreach, Danielle Mutone-Smith, and the panel of speakers who led the conversation included: Rev. Mark Huffman of St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA); Kazi Joshua of North Park Theological Seminary; and Will Samson of the Emergent Village. Below Will Samson, author of the forthcoming book "Justice in the Burbs", shared some of his thoughts on this event:
It was such a great honor to be able to converse at the Bread for the World gathering with so many others who are seeking to use their hands and their feet (and their computers and their letter writing skills and ...) to be Jesus in a world desperately in need of the kind of justice that should flow from the Gospel. In the conversation space I helped lead we talked about ways we can discuss justice at the local level.
One conviction I shared was my belief that global justice is the outcome of local justice. So, while we need to lobby our congressman about the farm bill and its effect on poverty in developing nations, we might also think about a community garden as a way to understand the complexities of hunger and food production, and as a way to think how we might begin conversations about food injustice right in our community. Likewise, I suggested that practicing the "theology of place", or seeing our fate and the fate of our community as inseparable, might give us a context for talking about the consumerism and over-consumption that is causing all manner of inequity around the globe.
Thanks again to Bread for the World for an opportunity to find hope in the future of God's work in this world.
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There are still opportunities for real reform as the farm bill makes its way through Congress. Please visit the Take Action section of the Bread Web site for the most current suggestions for letters, emails and phone calls to your members of Congress.
Urge your senators and representative to improve the U.S. farm bill in ways that will strengthen our rural communities and help families of modest means who live there.
An effective letter has three essential ingredients:
- Be Specific
Congress is now shaping the 2007 farm bill. The farm bill affects all of us, so every member of Congress has a stake in this legislation.
- Name the Action
The current farm bill does little to help most rural residents, who are not farmers. Yet it is the principal federal support for rural areas. Please make resources available to strengthen rural communities and help create good jobs.
-
Give a Reason
Hunger and poverty are a bigger problem in rural areas of our country. In fact, one in five rural children lives below the poverty line. Congress needs to pass a farm bill that will improve this situation.
Sample Letter:
Dear Sen. _________,
As a constituent, I'm writing to ask you to make needed reforms to the U.S. farm bill. The farm bill affects all of us, so every member of Congress has a stake in the legislation.
I'd like to draw your attention to the needs of U.S. rural communities, which suffer higher rates of hunger and poverty than urban areas. In fact, one in five rural children lives below the poverty line. Yet the U.S. farm bill does little to help the great majority of rural residents, who are not farmers.
Please help pass a farm bill that makes resources available to strengthen rural communities, improve infrastructure and promote long-term economic development.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
Send your letter to:
Sen. _____________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
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This year, Bread for the World Sunday will be celebrated on October 21, or on another Sunday of your choice between October 16 (World Food Day) and Thanksgiving. At this harvest season, Bread for the World Sunday offers an opportunity to reflect on God’s gifts, pray for people in need and take action to help end hunger. It might be a good time to begin JustFaith classes in your church (see article below).
Bread for the World offers a free resource kit to help your church celebrate BFW Sunday. The kit includes a reflection piece, children’s reflection, prayers, litanies, music selections and more. You may order the resource kit, as well as bulletin inserts and pew envelopes, by calling 1-800-82-BREAD or visiting www.bread.org/sunday.
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A partnership between Bread for the World and JustFaith Ministries offers our members a new opportunity to deepen their spiritual grounding for advocacy on behalf of hungry and poor people. Bread for the World is supporting the development of an ecumenical version of JustFaith's 30-week intensive study program, which explores the biblical call to justice and compassion.
"I hope that Bread for the World members and churches begin the JustFaith curriculum in their churches this fall," said BFW president David Beckmann. "We know that JustFaith is transformative for its participants. Many of Bread for the World's Catholic members have already completed the program and we are happy to be able to help introduce it to a broader Christian audience."
There is still time to form a JustFaith group in your congregation or community for this fall. For more information, contact JustFaith Ministries at info@justfaith.org or 502-429-0865, or visit www.justfaith.org.
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Bread for the World's staff can offer tips on letter writing, brief you on legislation, assist your church's hunger ministry, and put you in touch with others who are working on these issues.
Bread for the World National Office: 1-800-82-BREAD
Church Relations Staff
Regional Organizers in National Office
- Elise Young, Central/Mid-Atlantic Organizer
Bread for the World Regional Offices
- Mariah Priggen (1-800-447-0-BFW)
Illinois, Indiana and Missouri Organizer
- David Gist (1-800-315-3BFW)
California Organizer
- Matt Newell-Ching (1-888-75-BREAD)
Western Organizer
- Suzanne Berman and Seth Wispelwey (1-888-257-0239)
Texas and Oklahoma Organizers
- Ricardo Moreno (1-800-315-3BFW)
Organizer for Latino Relations
- Tamela Walhof (1-800-363-7BFW)
Upper Midwest Organizer
- Elizabeth Coleman (1-888-BFW-0073)
Southeast Organizer
- Larry Hollar (1-800-619-9239)
North Central Organizer
- Derrick Boykin (1-866-238-0507)
Northeast Organizer
