Creating effective policy solutions to advance sustainable agriculture first requires understanding the underlying nature and complexity of the problem. The strengths and weaknesses of existing policies and regulations need to be determined and potential solutions evaluated through interviews with affected parties. Crafting and approving viable policy proposals is followed by building a coalition, mobilizing public support and educating policy makers.

Barriers to Credit for Organic & Sustainable Farmers

In 2002, Curtis Consulting was hired to prepare a research report for Self-Help Credit Union, a community development financial institution (CDFI) in Durham, North Carolina. As part of the organization’s efforts to support sustainable businesses, it wants to understand how CDFIs can play a role in encouraging organic and sustainable farming enterprises throughout the state. Curtis Consulting was hired to investigate potential barriers that small organic farmers and sustainable agriculture enterprises face in traditional lending circles and to develop recommendations for increasing access to financing.

The project involved a literature review and interviews of farmers and lending officers from various lending agencies, including commercial banks, the Farm Credit System, and the Farm Services Agency. The report, "Funding the New Harvest", assesses the barriers and makes recommendations based on these interviews. It also includes the results of a survey conducted by Self-Help of lending practices of more than 500 organic growers in the state. To read the report, visit www.self-help.org/communityimpact/sustainabledevelopment.asp

Pesticide Policy Reform

From 1988 until 1996, Jennifer worked in the Natural Resources Defense Council’s San Francisco office in their Public Health Program. NRDC is a national nonprofit advocacy organization that is often referred to as “the law firm for the environment.” Jennifer worked with a team of attorneys and scientists in a coordinated and extremely successful effort to reform regulation of pesticides in the United States to better protect children and vulnerable subpopulations. NRDC’s efforts culminated in passage of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA).

As a part of the Public Health Program, Jennifer specialized in researching and promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and sustainable agriculture as alternatives to hazardous pesticides. In this vein, her responsibilities included:

• Monitoring and analyzing state and federal pesticide regulatory affairs,
• Coordinating a coalition and co-authoring national legislation to promote adoption of IPM and sustainable agriculture
• Researching and writing numerous reports
• Serving on a variety of regulatory and academic advisory committees
• Speaking to agricultural groups, state organizations, academic institutions on a regular basis
• Engaging in media outreach, appearing many times on TV, radio and in print.