My name William Dellacamera this is testimony of countless struggling small farmers in the United States. On August 26, 2024, my 125-acre vegetable farm was brutalized by 13 minutes of damaging hail stones up to 1.5". This single event destroyed everything I had painstakingly worked for in the preceding 6 months. An eerily similar heartache was experienced by many of my fellow farmers in July 2023 when the CT river valley flooded due to storm water surge from VT storms coupled with heavy rains in the region. Our livelihoods were wiped out, we were left staring at daunting bills and struggling to pay our workers.

This isn't merely about individual farmers and their heartbreaks, it uncovers a gaping flaw in our system - The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) insufficient funding, access, and availability of programs for the small farmers. The system currently allows the majority of funding and attention to be swept by big corporate farms. This archaic structure is unjust and needs immediate reform.

Furthermore, there is a dire need for insurance programs that fulfil the needs of special crop producers. The existing ones are grossly inadequate and insensitive to the challenges unique to us. The slow response in times of natural disasters is another area that can't be overlooked. By the time help arrives, it is often too late.

According to the USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture, 76% of farms made less than $50,000 in gross cash farm income. More importantly, 89% of U.S. farms are small (gross cash income under $350,000), and these farms account for 52% of the land in farms (USDA Economic Research Service, 2019). These figures highlight the urgent need for a swift and substantial overhaul of the current system.

This petition isn't merely a cry for justice; it is a plea for survival. It's high time that the USDA becomes a true ally to its small farmers and not just the corporate farms. Only with your support can we rouse the attention necessary for this vital cause. Please sign this petition. Let's help small farming America thrive again.