Advocating for Sustainable Agriculture and Nutritious Food for All
Catholic Rural Life is a long-time advocate on behalf of family farmers and farm communities. Our advocacy work for fair and just federal policies on agriculture and nutrition programs–especially the Farm Bill–is highly regarded by family farmers and faith-based groups alike. As a representative of the Church, Catholic Rural Life strives to speak truth to power and join in solidarity with farmers, ranchers and producers whose generosity, graciousness and stewardship of the land serves the common good of all creation.
Through a program we call Faith, Food and the Environment, we collaborate with agricultural leaders and encourage them to make the connections between their faith and food production. Through resources like The Vocation of the Agricultural Leader, we call upon farm and food production leaders to be moral agents in the complex and competitive world of modern agriculture.
For Catholic Rural Life members and supporters in general, we provide educational and advocacy resources that help shape public policy and institute ethical agricultural practices. As a catalyst for social change, CRL works “for a new earth where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
FAQ: Does the Church Care About Animals? Part I
Animal welfare, whether in an agricultural context or domestic, can be a polarizing issue, and we want to treat this…
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What Do Rural People Think?
What do rural people think? This question presses upon the minds of policymakers—or at least should—when it’s time to craft…
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Proposed Federal Budget – March 2017
Last week, President Trump released his inaugural budget request, this for the coming fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. Unlike past…
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March Means National Nutrition Month and Ag. Week
National Nutrition Month, celebrated every March, focuses on helping people to make correct food choices as well as developing good eating…
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Farm, Food, Rural Groups Urge Congress to Safeguard 2014 Farm Bill
Coalition asks House and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees to protect mandatory funding for critical farm and food assistance programs. A…
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Agriculture and Rural Policy
What to expect for agriculture and rural communities in 2017? This is a question farm and rural advocacy groups are…
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Blessing of Food- and Bacon!
(Edit: This week’s Storytellers article comes from Sarah Antonio, who raises hogs on her small homestead. She recently had her…
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Doug Peterson: An Advocate for Family Farms
In the summer issue of Catholic Rural Life Magazine, we interviewed Doug Peterson, the president of the Minnesota Farmers Union….
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The Back Forty: Renewal on the Land Starts in the Heart
Editor’s Note: This week’s installment of “Storytellers” comes from CRL supporter Zach Laughlin. If you have a story you’d like…
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Back to the Land, Back to God
Editor’s Note: This is the second installment in our “Storytellers” series, where readers submit their stories about faith and the…
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