Federal Farm & Food Policy
To Get Involved in Farm & Food Policy, Sustainable Agriculture, Local Food and Democracy…To Take Action on the Issues YOU Care About, Sign Up for MRCC’s Action Alert List!
MRCC members work for federal farm and food policies that support independent family farmers and rural communities and ensure access to affordable, high-quality food raised by independent farm families. This includes challenging corporate control over the marketplace, agricultural industry and policy formation.
Our federal farm and food priorities are primarily focused on efforts to improve livestock competition, expose and challenge taxpayer-funded corporate subsidies, address food safety, security and nutrition programs and positively influence Farm Bill debates and subsequent implementation.
At stake is the future of large parts of America’s rural environment, the health and prosperity of rural communities, economic opportunity for farm and rural families, and far-reaching questions about food safety and affordability.
Supply Management in the Time of Tariffs
MRCC Presents – Farm Bill: What itis and why it matters to all of us
MRCC Presents – Farm Bill: Factory Farms Conservation and Competition
Discover More About Federal Farm and Food Policy
Sign Our Stop Data Center Petition
Make Your Voice Count
Opinion: Our Rural Missouri Way of Life is at Risk from Data Centers
What We're Reading-- this St. Louis Post-Dispatch op-ed from MRCC member Tom Westoff about the Montgomery County fight...
No Data Center
We told you in our last update email about an upcoming townhall in Montgomery County-- nearly 500 people attended that...
Digging Deep on Conservation!
In late January, over 100 people participated in our "Conservation on the Land" webinar connecting Missouri farmers...
Amplifying Voices & Issues in at the Capital!
From our big group Family Farm Advocacy Day to small, targeted groups of members joining MRCC in Jefferson City for...
US Farmers and Ranchers Beef with Government over Argentinian Dumping
US Farmers and Ranchers Beef with Government over Argentinian Dumping As seen in The Joplin Globe and the Springfield...
MRCC Statement on Midguided Effort to Lower Beef Prices
For Immediate Release Contact: Jamie Blair Email: jamie@morural.orgPhone: 573-449-1336 Columbia, MO (Oct. 28, 2025) –...
Missouri Farms Need Help. More Trump Tariffs are No Answer
In 2025, with the talk of tariffs from the Trump administration and concerns that already low farm prices will plunge...
Become an MRCC Farmland Defender Today
Join our Farmland Defender leadership team working on our Clean Water Campaign as we build momentum for the 2026...
Livestock Producer Survey Report
Livestock Producer Survey ReportIn 2023, we mailed thousands of independent owner-operators of cattle and hog farms in...
Farmers and Consumers Demand Country of Origin Labeling be included in Farm Bill
The unelected World Trade Organization (WTO) is unaccountable to Americans and functionally obsolete. Check out...
Meet Industry Increases Political Spending Lobbying as USDA Updates Crucial Regulations
This is one of the systemic fundamental problems with America's form of "democracy". While good steps are being made...
It’s Simple: Transparency in Labeling of Meat Forum
It's Simple Transparancy, Consumers want to be able to choose where their meat comes from like they can with virtually...
MRCC and Farm Groups Push Back on COOL Omission in Farm Bill Draft
Let's turn up the heat on COOL! Did you know: Meatpackers are literally importing billions of pounds of beef every...
Where Does Your Beef Come From with Giles Stockton
Where does your meat come from and who benefits? It may not be what you think and a better question might be, why does...
4 Things you should know about COOL
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for meat was passed in the 2008 Farm Bill and was immediately opposed by the...
Grocery Prices are Up Because Big Food Corporations Keep Missouri Farmer’s Hands Tied
We're organizing to take on the corporate power of our farm and food system. We know how we got where we are, and we...
Ag Census and Farm Bill Show that Dodging Deadlines Leads to Bad Policies
Corporate control of a large swath of our farm and food system wasn't born from efficiency or inevitability. It's...
U.S. Beef Trade Update
Missouri farmers and consumers demand the ability to know where out meat comes from. Earlier this week, MRCC testified...
Country of Origin Labeling Offers Both a Big Win and a Call to Action!
"Closing this loophole is a big win for farmers and consumers alike. Big wins do not happen in a vacuum. Good policy...
How California’s Prized Solution for Methane Gas is Backfiring on Farmers
At MRCC we know that factory farm biogas is a false solution to solving climate change, and could very well create...
A California Regulation with Big Missouri Consequences
Family farm advocates in Missouri are concerned a regulation on the other side of the country could have unintended...
You Can Help Stop California from Fueling MORE Factory Farms in the Midwest
History & Talking Points In 2006, California passed the "California Global Warming Solutions Act", which resulted...
Hyper Concentration in Food Markets is Harmful to Consumers and Producers Alike
From MRCC farmer member, Darvin Bentlage, in the Missouri Independent: "In 2022, the United States imported 3.4...
Young Farmers Are Struggling. We Need a New Farm Bill for a New Generation
In late 2023, MRCC farmer member Noah Earle traveled to Washington D.C. to talk to our Congresspeople about the 2024...
Against the Grain Episode 2: Hoodwinked – Farm Aid
Check out Farm Aid's new "Against the Grain" podcast! Our own Tim Gibbons joins musicians Dave Matthews & Allison...
Clean Water Event Speaking about CAFO Water Pollution
Check out these pictures from the recent Clean Water events where MRCC presented to over 175 people in both Columbia...
MRCC and CFFE go to Washington DC to Take on Farm Bill Priorities
Last Tuesday, MRCC members joined with other farmer members of the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment, to...
Mo Family Farmers: Inflation Reduction Act Funds Not for Factory Farmers
Last week, in our nation's capital, Tim Gibbons of MRCC had this to say to lawmakers and the USDA; "Here in Missouri...
Something is amiss in Iowa
Read this! A sad and true description of what's happening out here and why by Art Cullen, Pulitzer Prize-winning...
Briefing on the People’s Hearing of the Farm Bill
Grassroots organizers have a unique understanding of how our current Farm Bill affects communities on the ground who...
USDA to Begin issuing $1.75 Billion to Agricultural Producers Through Critical Emergency Relief Programs
ATTENTION! MRCC farmer members and all Missouri farmers, today USDA announced that it will begin issuing more than...
Farm Aid Hearing Calls for ‘Sea Change’ in Ag Policy
The people have spoken and we are demanding that farming in America be done by families with a sincere connection to...
Tim Gibbons: Corporate Mega-Mergers Hurt Farmers and Consumers Alike
Concentrated economic power creates concentrated political power, allowing giant corporations to invest growing sums...
History of the Hog Industry Shows how to Save the Cattle Industry
In one generation, we’ve lost the vast majority of the hog farms in the country, foreign corporations now control half...
Rural Advocacy Groups: Corporate Farming Infringing on MO Family Farms
Despite the goal to unite Missourians around a common cause, rural advocacy groups have been pushing the EPA for more...
Take Action Here to STOP Big Ag Mergers — By September 18th
Please Comment on New Proposed RulesThis is your chance to make your voice heard on the new proposed rules that aim to...
Guebert: Hemming and Hawing Avoids Tougher Actions and “Us”
Last month, USDA released a report on concentration and competition in agriculture (read: corporate control). Although...
June 11th the Deadline to Stop the False Labeling of Imported Meat!
Thank you for those of you who have already taken action on this comment period! The deadline is approaching, so, if...
The Fertilizer Trap
This follows what we are hearing from our farmer members: fertilizer corporations are using their market power to...
MRCC and CFFE head to Washington DC
Last week, MRCC farmer members, Darvin Bentlage and Noah Earle, traveled with other members of the Campaign for Family...
Stopping Corporate Ownership of U.S. Farmland Should Be a Priority for Government
Rhonda Perry, MRCC Executive Director and 5th generation livestock and grain farmer, tells it like it is in Newsweek:...
Comment Period Extended! Animal I.D. is back & Why it Matters to All
*USDA has extended the comment period to let them know what you think about mandatory animal identification to April...
Report: Conservation Funding for Smaller Farms Needed in Farm Bill
MRCC member and livestock and grain farmer from Livingston County, MO gives his insight on the direction and...
Worried About Spying and Tensions with China, Midwest States Want to Limit Who Can Buy Farm Land
The Missouri Rural Crisis Center has been working on the issue of foreign ownership of farmland for more than a decade...
2000 + Urge Biden to Enforce Exec-Order Antitrust Pledge
MRCC pointed out the trend toward more centralized, multinational, and often foreign control of our food system...
Thousands of Farmers and Ranchers Sign Petition, Urge Biden to enforce antitrust laws
President Joe Biden’s 2021 “Executive Order On Promoting Competition in the American Economy” is a “win” for...
Federal Government Won’t Stop Buying Food from Meatpackers Tied to Bribery Case
From 2013-2021, solely through USDA's Agriculture Marketing Service, U.S. taxpayers have bought $741,177,717 worth of...
Missouri Lawmakers Want to Restrict Foreign Corporations from Owning Too Much Farmland
Missouri Rural Crisis Center has been fighting against foreign corporate ownership of farmland since day one. Our own...
Why the Potential Kroger-Albertsons Merger Is Receiving Pushback
It's a farmer and consumer emergency--for every dollar, Americans spend on groceries, farmers are now receiving less...
Push to Restrict Foreign Ownership of Missouri Farmland
MRCC has been working to stop foreign corporate ownership of MO farmland since 2013--the year the legislature passed a...
Why Cattlemen are Being Told to Shut Up
Cattlemen all over America are being told to "shut up" by large scale propaganda tactics from Corporate meatpackers....
US Farmers Struggle Through Drought To Bring Food To the Table but Face More Challenges Ahead
MRCC member and farmer, Darvin Bentlage, and other farmers spoke with Forbes earlier this month about the drought...
Bi-Partisan Beef Bill Still Not Passed
Remember the "American Beef Labeling Act", a bipartisan bill that would let us know where beef on grocery store...
How Farmers are Being Shafted by Monopolies
Remember when Robert Reich visited MRCC in 2015 during his "Saving Capitalism" book tour? Well, here he is again...
MRCC Mid-Year Activities Update Summer 2022
2022 Mid-Year UpdateBuilding Power to Win Support Missouri Farms, Food, Communities & Democracy In 2022, MRCC has...
MRCC and Campaign for Family Farms Testified before Congress about CAFOs
"The sophisticated CAFO industry is highly dependent on cheap feed and avoiding environmental regulations — pushing...
Petition to Support Country of Origin Labeling
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for meat was passed in the 2008 Farm Bill and was immediately opposed by the...
Bolster Regenerative Practices Not CAFOs
On Tuesday, July 19th, Doug Doughty, MRCC member, and livestock and grain farmer from Livingston County, MO, testified...
KC Area Farmers and rural communities feel impact of inflation
Missouri Rural Crisis Center blames corporate greed for high-cost farmers and consumers pay and say [we need]...
Why Join MRCC’s Membership
MRCC is able to deliver meaningful victories because of the ability to call people into action with mailings, meetings, phone calls, research, and action alerts. By joining MRCC, you are investing in your future and the future of independent farmers and consumers across the country.
- Support Family Farmers and Rural Community
- Promote a safe, affordable high-quality food supply for consumers.
- Protect the environment for future generations.
- Create economic opportunities for Missouri.
- Engage Missourians in the democratic process.
