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News & Resources

SAFSF Policy Staff on the Move in Washington, D.C.

March 8, 2023

Last week, Traci Bruckner, SAFSF, senior director, public policy, and Maggie Mascarenhas, SAFSF, public policy associate were in D.C. for Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) and Environmental Grantmakers Association’s (EGA) 2023 Federal Policy Briefing.

Left to right: Ansje Miller, HEFN Executive Director, Kalila Booker-Cassano, HEFN Director of Programs, Traci Bruckner, SAFSF Senior Director of Public Policy, Maggie Mascarenhas, SAFSF Public Policy Associate, Ann Mills, Agua Fund Executive Director.

During FOTH, they took the opportunity to schedule meetings with several Senate Agriculture Committee member offices, as well as Senate Agriculture Committee professional staff, and share SAFSF 2023 Farm Bill Principles and further position SAFSF staff and members as a resource. They were joined by friends from Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN), Agua Fund, and Philanthropy Ohio. The meetings were successful and they are looking forward to continuing to build relationships with these influential offices.

After their Hill meetings, Traci joined EGA’s 2023 Federal Policy Briefing where she moderated an engaging plenary titled “Rural Climate Action – Federal Opportunities for Rural Self Determination”. The panel included Dr. Jasmine Jackson, Co-Executive Director of the National Black Food & Justice Alliance, John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association, and Justin Maxson, Senior Fellow at the Amalgamated Foundation. The conversation focused on the role of the USDA Equity Commission’s recently released Interim Report, equity and justice for Black farmers, the lack of a coherent rural development policy in the U.S., and how philanthropy can engage to make federal programs more accessible for underserved communities. You can see additional coverage of this panel on the SAFSF Twitter feed (please do follow us if you don’t already!). 

Left to right: Justin Maxson, Senior Fellow at the Amalgamated Foundation, John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association, Dr. Jasmine Jackson, Co-Executive Director of the National Black Food & Justice Alliance, and Traci Bruckner, SAFSF Senior Director of Public Policy.

This week, Maggie Mascarenhas, joined the Farmers for Climate Action: Rally for Resilience in D.C. where farmers and farm organizations from all over the country united with the request for their members of Congress to make climate change policy a priority for the 2023 Farm Bill. Some key asks included: farmer-led climate solutions, racial justice in the Farm Bill, and communities not corporations.

SAFSF was among many sponsors of this event, including some SAFSF members: Farm Aid, 11th Hour Foundation, Ben and Jerry’s, Regenerative Agriculture Foundation, and Patagonia. To view an agenda of the Rally and see lead organizational partners and other sponsors visit this page.