Join us in supporting the PLANT Act’s inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill to promote a sustainable, innovative, and prosperous plant-based food industry and support the farmers growing our plant-based foods.
The majority of farmland in the US today is used to grow a few select crops to feed farmed animals, benefiting a handful of mega meat and dairy companies. This system:
- Destroys our ecosystems, causing habitat disruption and biodiversity loss.
- Increases the number of toxic pesticides in our lands and waterways.
- Fuels cruel factory farms where billions of animals suffer.
- Gives tax dollars to large corporations, not small farmers.
About the PLANT Act
The Peas, Legumes, and Nuts Today (PLANT) Act of 2023 is a groundbreaking piece of legislation aimed at bolstering farmers growing food crops in the United States. It would increase support for plant-based crop cultivation, a critical need if we are to shift away from factory farming.
The PLANT Act would ensure that government programs fully support farmers and companies producing plant-based foods through:
- Incentives for “Building Block” Crops: Increasing support for growing the crops used in plant-based foods, including peas, lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, oats, nuts, and more.
- Equal Access to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Programs: Securing eligibility for plant-based producers and companies in grant programs traditionally reserved for commodity crops (corn, soy, wheat, rice, cotton).
- Creation of a Diversified Food System: Ensuring crop farmers have access to government support, resources, and markets helps reduce the role of animal feed crops and build a more diverse food system. This is essential to mitigate the climate impacts attributed to the animal agriculture industry.
- Plant-Based Food Innovation: Establishing a new Plant-Based Food Innovation Initiatives Program to spur plant-based research at research institutions and university programs.
- Establishment of the Office of Plant-Based Foods: Creating a new Office of Plant-Based Foods and Innovative Production at USDA, dedicated to accelerating the success of the plant-based food industry.
What You Can Do
Send a message with one-click to your legislators and tell them to include the PLANT Act in the Farm Bill to ensure that farmers and companies producing plant-based foods are eligible for USDA programs.
Want to do even more? Read our Animal Advocate’s Guide to the Farm Bill.