Farm bill conservation programs and its effect on public health and local food systems

The presenter will provide an overview of the Farm Bill's conservation programs and their affect on overall public health. She will also briefly discuss the role of the current Farmworker Coordination Program its role in occupational public health. Depending on whether or not Congress completes a full five-year Farm Bill reauthorization before the APHA meeting in November, Bryn will discuss where conservation programs and farmworker programs will head and how to begin advocating for a stronger more equitable 2017 Farm Bill. This session will focus directly on how the Farm Bill touches many more areas of public health than many currently realize. The presenter discuss the way future partnerships around various aspects of the farm bill and public health will strengthen overall grassroots advocacy and allow for a more equitable and fair Farm Bill in the future. Following the presentation, the audience will be able to identify opportunities for urban and rural communities to join together and advocate for a healthier Farm Bill that will provide better health to farmworkers and communities.