A new food and agriculture committee launched by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors last fall has identified its priorities, which include addressing food insecurity, supporting small farmers, and building on previous work to strengthen the region's food system.
The Food and Agricultural Regional Member Ad Hoc (FARM) Committee outlined these priorities and provided feedback on federal nutrition programs in a letter to the USDA transition team, one of its first official actions.
Many area residents are struggling with food insecurity and food access exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee is focused on urgently addressing hunger and building a more resilient, connected food and farm economy, among other solutions.
For example, in its letter to the USDA, FARM Committee leadership expressed support for federal, state, and local initiatives to increase food and cash assistance programs for residents in need, increase participation in programs among eligible residents, and streamline program administration. This includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school meals, and other federal nutrition programs.
“Programs like SNAP are one of the nation’s—and our region’s—most important defenses against hunger,” said the letter, which urged the USDA
to consider how flexibilities in federal nutrition benefit program administration, made in response to COVID-19, could become more permanent.
The letter also requested that the USDA provide guidance to states on Pandemic Electronic Benefit (P-EBT) plans, a critical program for food insecure children. The administration has since provided guidance and extended and expanded the program, among other important federal actions to address food insecurity.
The region’s food system will also be strengthened by supporting small farmers, specifically those identifying as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).
According to COG’s What Our Region Grows report, BIPOC make up a minority of our region’s farmers, despite the area’s diverse population. The committee has identified land access and ownership as key challenges for BIPOC and new farmers. In addition to exploring these challenges more closely, the committee called on the USDA to also consider how it can deploy financial assistance for these farmers, restore lost land, and prevent future loss.
The letter also cited the partnership with USDA that launched COG’s Regional Food Systems Program in 2016, noting the importance of continuing to expand efforts to sustain regional food and farm economies.
The FARM Committee is made up of 22 local elected officials and subject matter experts, and several alternates, and is chaired by District of Columbia Councilmember Mary Cheh; Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice and City of Fairfax Councilmember Jon Stehle are Vice Chairs.
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Food and Agricultural Regional Member Ad Hoc (FARM) Committee
Letter to the USDA Transition Team Regarding Food and Agriculture Regional Member Ad Hoc Committee Priorities