“Farmers deserve our thanks – and then some.”

Every Thanksgiving, my favorite part of the meal is a roasted root vegetable medley made from beets, sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips grown here on our farm — just feet away from the dinner table. The epitome of seasonal and local, this dish reminds us of this season’s harvest, for which we are so very thankful.

Each family has its own traditions and ways to give thanks. But I’m willing to bet that the things we are most grateful for are the same: health, safety, family. And good food. Yet as we join together with our families to give thanks this year, we do so without a plan in place to support access to healthy food and the farmers that grow it.

The farm bill, which sets our nation’s food and farm policy, expired earlier this fall, and Congress has failed to authorize a new bill or extend the old one.

Without a new farm bill, all the progress we have made in recent years to improve access to healthy food, increase the production of organic and local foods, protect environmentally sensitive lands and support the next generation of farmers is left in the lurch. That’s bad news for farmers and consumers.

As I look across the dinner table this evening, each dish will tell a story about our agriculture system and how the farm bill can support the production of healthy food grown in a way that respects the land.

Let’s start with the turkey. We all want the meat and poultry we eat to be affordable, high-quality and humanely raised. Farmers that raise animals in this country rely on the techniques and advice developed through agricultural research and extension services.

A new farm bill can and should target federal research dollars to help find ways to raise livestock that are healthy and healthful, including greater attention to raising animals without the routine use of antibiotics and added growth hormones. Sustainable and organic farmers are leading the charge to adopt these new approaches but need more resources to succeed.

Whether you cook it in the bird or out, the stuffing is a cherished Thanksgiving staple. We wouldn’t have it without grain producers, who rely on government-subsidized crop insurance to protect against price fluctuations and extreme weather like this summer’s drought. Yet sky-high grain prices incentivize farmers to cultivate as much of their land as possible, threatening sensitive wildlife habitat and increasing soil erosion. A new farm bill must reform the program so that farmers balance food production with healthy land and water through basic conservation practices.

And don’t forget all those vegetable sides such as mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry sauce. Here in Virginia, the Thanksgiving meal is well-timed for the fall sweet potato harvest, as well as fall broccoli, spinach, radishes, leeks and cabbage. Consumers are increasingly demanding healthier, local food to feed their families. A new farm bill can improve access to locally grown fruits and vegetables through programs like the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. At the same time, a new generation of American farmers is emerging that wants to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for local customers. A new farm bill can remove significant financial, training and knowledge barriers that new producers face when trying to start farming.

And for dessert, Virginia sweet potato or pumpkin pie just isn’t the same without fresh whipped cream. Without a farm bill the price of milk could double, hurting dairy farmers and consumers alike.

There is still time to save the farm bill, but time is very short. By investing in local food production, reforming subsidies so that they are fair and support small-scale family farms like mine, and protecting funding for conservation practices that help keep our soils productive and our water clean, Congress can make sure this farm bill moves America toward better food and farm policy.

Congress may opt to put the farm bill off until next year. In that case, it can still make a down payment on reform by extending the old farm bill for a year but incorporating a new dairy plan, renewing funding for local food and new farmer programs, keeping conservation program funding intact, and putting limits on commodity and crop insurance subsidies.

As I smell my beloved root vegetables roasting, tossed with a touch of Virginia sweet cream butter, I’ll be giving thanks for all that I have — and calling on Congress to do its job to pass a better food and farm policy.

From my family to yours, happy Thanksgiving.

Janet Aardema is a farmer (Broadfork Farm) and the director of the Virginia Association for Biological Farming, the state’s primary organization focused on organic and sustainable farming. She lives in Chesterfield. Contact her at Janet@vabf.org or             (804) 337-6540      .