Founded in 1978, Rural Coalition is an alliance of farmers, farm workers, indigenous, migrant, and working people working together toward a new society that values unity, hope, people, and the land.

Rural Coalition

Coalicíon Rural

(Photo: Blanding Family Land, Clarendon County, SC)

Building a Movement

For over 45 years Rural Coalition has worked to assure that diverse organizations from all regions, ethnic and racial groups and genders have the opportunity to work in solidarity on the issues that affect us all.

The foundation of this work is strong local, regional, and national organizations that work to assure the representation and involvement of every sector of this diverse fabric of rural peoples.

Resources for Farmers & Farmworkers

Food & Farmworker Relief Program (FFWRP)

USDA's Farm and Food Workers Relief Program (FFWR) provides a one-time, $600 payment for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you were a frontline worker in USDA approved farming and meatpacking activities during the pandemic period, you may qualify.

Latest news from Rural Coalition

Updates from Our Members

BLACK FARMERS STRUGGLE IN FACE OF STRUCTURAL RACISM AND ECONOMIC HEADWINDS

PBS has released this report on the challenges faced by Black farmers in the US, featuring several of our members, including Board Member Willard Tillman of Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project.

FARM AID PROGRAM DIRECTOR CHAMPIONS EQUITY FOR BLACK FARMERS

Shorlette Ammons, program director for Farm Aid, was recently appointed to the USDA Equity Commission! Shorlette also sits on the board of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project. Read more about Shorlette and her recent accomplishments here!

FEDERATION HOLDS 56TH ANNUAL MEETING;

Vows to help every Black farmer in the South that wants to file a discrimination application by October 31 deadline - Read more about the Federation’s 56th Annual Meeting here.

February 22, 2024

PRESS RELEASE: USDA Releases Landmark Equity Commission Report. Read our press release here.

February 2, 2024

Congratulations to the Greene County Democrat on their Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Newspaper Association! Learn more here

February 1, 2024

We honor the life and memory of Marge W. Townsend, Rural Coalition Board Member Emeritus, who passed away peacefully on January 31st. Please find her obituary here

January 9, 2024

Nonprofit Groups Award $2.2 Million to Equip Frontline and BIPOC-led Organizations to Engage in Food and Farm Bill Debates - With 15 Organizations, many of whom being Rural Coalition Member Organizations and allies, Collaborating to Select 28 Grantees Across the Country, the Effort is Among Largest Participatory Grantmaking in Food and Farming to Date. Learn more here.

December 15, 2023

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) and Andrew Garbarino (NY-02) announce the introduction of the Natural Climate Solutions Research and Extension Act. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would advance sustainable agriculture practices across the United States by making natural climate solutions a high research and extension priority at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), unlocking federal funding for farmers to protect the environment via land management practices that increase carbon storage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “As our climate continues to change, it is critical that we understand exactly what tools producers have available to best manage and care for the land and resources that sustain us,” said Lorette Picciano, Executive Director of the Rural Coalition. “We thank Senator Markey and his colleagues for expanding the scope of research to include a more diverse range of approaches to resilience as provided in the Natural Climate Solutions Research and Extension Act.” Learn more here.

December 6, 2023

Rural Coalition joins more than 100 Organizations Call on Congress to Craft a Food and Farm Bill that Meets Urgent Challenges Facing Food and Farm System. The letter, sent to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership today, identifies 34 “marker bills” that, if included in the next food and farm bill, would help transform the U.S. food and agriculture system into one that is more sustainable, resilient and equitable, and that farmers, workers, and communities need and deserve. Learn more here. Additionally, In one of the largest collaborative grantmaking efforts ever in the food and farming sector, 15 organizations awarded $2.235 million in grants to support 28 grassroots groups that are on the front lines of working with marginalized farmers and communities. Learn more here.

November 29, 2023

Senator Markey & Congresswoman Adams have announced legislation to harness federal purchasing power to build a just and resilient food system. The legislation would require USDA to use its purchasing authority on sustainable and healthy food, and would create new pilot program to support equitable agriculture. Learn more here

October 31, 2023

We hold our colleague Jaime Chavez in our hearts as he and his family and the Atrisco community celebrate the life of his father, Bonifacio Chavez, and lay him to rest. - Mr. Chavez was a farmer who knew all the layers of the soil, and who grew garlic; and also the amaranth and jujubes he has left Jaime to harvest still. The love and care of your Rural Co family surrounds you at this time.

September 26, 2023

USDA Expands Access to School Breakfast and Lunch for More Students - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it is giving an estimated 3,000 more school districts in high-need areas the option to serve breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost, by expanding the availability of the Community Eligibility Provision, commonly known as CEP. Read more here.

September 22, 2023

USDA Extends deadline for IRA Section 22007, Discrimination Financial Relief Program - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that the claims process for Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has been extended from October 31st, 2023 to January 13th, 2024. The deadline for applicants to request documents from USDA was also extended from September 29th, 2023 to November 3rd, 2023. Read more here.

September 12, 2023

Biden taps Basil Gooden to lead USDA's Rural Development arm - If confirmed by the Senate, Gooden will fill the position formerly held by Xochitl Torres Small, whom Biden recently elevated to deputy secretary of Agriculture. Gooden, who became Virginia's first Black agriculture secretary in 2016, is currently director of state operations for rural development at USDA. Learn more here.

September 8, 2023

Farmers Legal Action Group (FLAG) releases a detailed guide to the IRA 22007 Discrimination Financial Assistance Program - This new, much more detailed, Farmers’ Guide to the USDA Discrimination Financial Assistance Program explains the details of the Program and provides a walk-through of the program application. This Second Edition replaces the first version of FLAG’s Farmers’ Guide to DFAP, dated August 27, 2023. Find the guide here.

September 8, 2023

Readout of White House and Department of Agriculture Roundtable on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry with Agriculture, Conservation, and Environmental Organizations - The White House and the Department of Agriculture convened a roundtable with leaders from Rural Coalition and 14 other agriculture, conservation, and environmental organizations to discuss President Biden’s historic investments in climate-smart agriculture and forestry through the Inflation Reduction Act and Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. Learn more about the roundtable here.

September 6, 2023

Adams, Kildee, Scott Introduce House Bill Eliminating Tax Liability for Inflation Reduction Act Assistance to Farmers- Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) and U.S. Representatives Dan Kildee (MI-08) and Bobby Scott (VA-03) introduced the Family Farmer and Rancher Tax Fairness Act of 2023, legislation that would remove the tax liability for distressed farmers on the assistance provided under Sections 22006 and 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Currently, farm loan borrowers who are already at financial risk are facing tax liability on the IRA assistance. Read more here.