👀 OPINION WORTH YOUR TIME “A corporate culture of indifference encourages farmers to look away as thousands of small farmers are forced out of business.” Sonja Trom Eayrs hits hard with her latest piece in the Star Tribune, connecting the dots between factory farms, loss of independent farmers, exploitation of immigrant labor, environmental harm, and the deep political divisions growing in rural America. This isn’t just about Minnesota. It’s about all of us. North Dakota isn’t immune from these same forces. We’ve seen Big Ag push family farmers off the land, lobby for policies that silence rural voices, and treat rural communities like dumping grounds for corporate waste and exploitation. At DRC, we’ve been fighting this culture of indifference for decades. Because rural life is worth more than poisoned water, and contracts that benefit corporations—not communities. 📖 Read the full piece here: (fb)

🚜 DRC Member Todd Leake Speaks Out on Crop Insurance Reform 🌾 Federal crop insurance subsidies hit record highs last year—but who really benefits? According to long-time DRC member and Grand Forks County farmer Todd Leake, it’s not the small, diversified family farms. In a recent article, Todd called out the current system for favoring large industrial farms, saying, “There’s no limitation on how much crop insurance subsidy you can get... So larger operations are getting their risk management paid for by the federal government to an unreasonable degree.” Todd is right: The current structure drives land consolidation, pushes out beginning farmers, and props up monoculture agriculture while taxpayers foot the bill. 📣 It’s time for reform: ✅ Cap subsidies so billionaires don’t benefit more than beginning farmers ✅ Add transparency so the public knows where the money goes ✅ Support climate-resilient practices like cover crops This is exactly why DRC fights for fairness in ag policy—to ensure that North Dakota’s family farms survive and thrive for the next generation. 📢 And join us in calling for a Farm Bill that works for everyone—not just the biggest players. 📎 Read the full article here: (fb)