OUR MISSION

WHAT WE’RE FIGHTING FOR

Q: How does FACE influence agricultural policy?

FACE advocates for policies at the federal, state and local levels that uplift independent farmers, respect animals and protect communities. The network supports legislation including the EQIP Improvement Act, the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act, the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act, the Farm System Reform Act, the OFF Act, and the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act.

FACE is a growing community of pasture-based farmers and ranchers dedicated to building a more humane and sustainable food and farming system. We believe that humane animal agriculture — not factory farming — is critical to our nation’s resilience and health. We advocate for policies at the federal, state and local levels that uplift independent farmers, respect animals and protect our communities.

Two brown and white cows standing on green grassy field with clear blue sky in the background. click to play video

WHY IT MATTERS

BY the numbers

Small and mid-sized pasture-based farms are struggling to operate in a volatile economic climate that favors big agriculture.

Consumers increasingly want more humane, pasture-raised animal products — and we’re proud to provide that. But there is insufficient public investment in and incentives for pasture-based farming, and large operations receive the majority of conservation and infrastructure funding that farmers like us could benefit from.

Pasture-based farmers lack access to institutional and large-scale buyers due to consolidation across the animal agriculture and food service industries, which limits access to contracts. Public procurement rarely prioritizes pasture-based sourcing. A shortage of small and mid-scale slaughter and processing facilities and the corporate control of most regional infrastructure means our processing ability remains limited. And on top of it all, weak oversight of label claims like “humanely raised” misleads consumers and lets industrial producers unfairly capture our market share.

These conditions have led to a consistent and staggering loss of independent farmers, numbering in the tens of thousands every year. With each farm that goes out of business, we’re losing our collective ability to produce humane, healthy food in our communities. FACE is fighting for a future where pasture-based farmers can not only survive, but thrive.

CONSIDER THIS

of Americans agree animals raised for food deserve to live free from abuse and cruelty

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of voters would support a law which prohibits the sale of pork, veal and egg products from confinement systems in their state

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of Americans support a ban on new industrial animal agriculture facilities

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percent of Americans agree the government should support farmers who are transitioning to more humane practices

Source

BUILDING POWER TOGETHER

HOW WE’RE GETTING THERE

FACE is farmer-led, which means our priorities are shaped by our members and come straight from firsthand experience. We believe that there’s no more persuasive way to get lawmakers to understand our perspectives than bringing them out to see our farms. FACE supports its members in organizing farm tours for state and federal legislators, media and other key stakeholders. By showing how we farm and explaining the barriers we’re up against to get our products to market, we can help steer policy toward right-sized, practical solutions.

The policy reforms we fight for are rooted in three areas that greatly impact small and mid-sized pasture-based farmers across regions and species.

READ OUR FULL POLICY BRIEF

Fair Funding

Independent small and mid-sized farmers need access to funding for on-farm improvements and critical infrastructure. This allows existing farms to grow and enables others to transition to pasture-based systems. We’re calling on policymakers to end government subsidies for industrial animal agriculture and instead invest in healthy farming systems.

We Support Policies Like:

The EQIP Improvement Act, which would reform the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to prioritize funding for small and mid-sized farmers who use environmentally sustainable practices. The bill limits payments to industrial agriculture operations and increases access to conservation support for historically underserved farmers.
The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act, which would leverage USDA purchasing power to support more independent, higher-welfare farmers. The bill outlines a values-based approach for the USDA commodity purchasing program, which supplies nutrition programs across the country. 
The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act (IACA), which would use existing conservation funds to support farmers transitioning from industrial livestock operations to more humane and sustainable systems, like pasture-based animal agriculture and organic and specialty crop production.

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Access to federal funding often goes to larger, more industrial style farms. It’s very hard for smaller farms to access adequate federal support

- Anna Pesek, Over the Moon Farms CBS Iowa

Competitive Markets

For pasture-based farmers to thrive, we need policies that promote fair and competitive markets. We’re calling on policymakers to ensure truthful labeling, halt unfair incentives for industrial agribusiness and rein in corporate control and consolidation.

We Support Policies Like:

The Farm System Reform Act, which would strengthen enforcement of antitrust laws in the meatpacking industry and require Country of Origin Labeling on all beef, pork and dairy products. 
The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, which would prohibit checkoff programs from contracting with agricultural lobbying organizations, require more transparency about checkoff budgets and require periodic audits by the USDA Inspector General.

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The only way to turn the rudder of agriculture in this country is to change policy.

- Jody Osmund, Cedar Valley Sustainable Farms CBS News Chicago

Humane Practices

Industrial agriculture harms animal welfare, public health and the environment. We’re calling on policymakers to support commonsense reforms to address these negative impacts and ensure basic animal husbandry standards, including halting the construction of mega-farms and ending extreme animal confinement.

We Support Policies Like:

The Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act (IAA), which would hold industrial agriculture accountable for disaster planning, prohibit the most inhumane depopulation methods, require annual depopulation reporting, improve slaughter and transport conditions for farm animals and ensure that taxpayers do not bear the costs when industrial systems fail. 
The Farm System Reform Act (FSRA), which would phase out large CAFOs by 2040 and place a moratorium on new or expanding CAFOs. It also designates $10 billion to support transitions to more sustainable animal agriculture through buyouts and assistance programs.

WE OPPOSE:

The Food Security and Farm Protection Act (formerly known as the EATS Act)and the Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act, which would both preempt states’ ability to pass laws regulating agriculture and overturn state animal protection laws. 15 states have banned the confinement of farm animals in some form, whether banning the use of battery cages, veal crates, or gestation crates.These laws provide important market opportunities for humane farmers across the country.

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We want accountability and transparency so consumers can make good choices and know where their food comes from and how it was raised

- Sharon Kay, Fawn Crossing Farms Washington Informer

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NEWS

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Dig Into WHAT WE DO

Who are FACE members?

FACE members are pasture-based farmers and ranchers who are committed to animal husbandry principles that promote harmony between animals, the land and the surrounding communities. Our members believe that government policies must be changed to support humane, healthy and resilient farms, instead of the industrial agriculture model, which has proven itself to be fragile, unhealthy, and harmful to all involved.

What are the challenges FACE is working to address?

Higher-welfare, pasture-based farmers face systemic barriers that limit their success and growth. Yet, we are not well represented by existing industry groups. Our members seek to put a face to the idea of humane, responsible farming and focus on strategic challenges raised consistently by farmers across regions and species, including:
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  • Limited access to financial resources
 • Marketplace confusion and unfair competition from industrial animal agriculture
 • Lack of access to institutional and large-scale buyers
 • Severe shortages in local and regional meat processing capacity
 • Isolation and lack of community support, especially during crises

By organizing collectively, farmers can advocate for practical solutions to these challenges with a strong and consistent voice.

How does FACE influence agricultural policy?

FACE connects farmers directly with lawmakers, journalists, and local leaders by hosting farm visits and facilitating direct conversations about real-world challenges and solutions.

Through leadership training, coordinated advocacy, and regional representation, the network ensures that humane, independent farmers have a voice in the issues that matter to them — including in discussions around the Farm Bill and state-level agricultural policies.

What is the long-term vision for FACE?

By 2030, FACE aims to build a national network of dozens of regional farmer leaders and hundreds — ultimately thousands — of member farmers. Together, they will serve as a powerful voice for pasture-based animal agriculture, influencing policy and advancing pragmatic, innovative federal, state and local reforms. Our vision is a food and farming system driven by independent farmers who respect their animals, their land, and their communities.