My @nytopinion colleague @ezraklein on how an obsession with efficiency can cost us our humanity — in this case, in how we (mis)treat pigs on factory farms, and how some in Congress aim to make this trade off worse. nytimes.com/2026/06/14/opini…

For too long, the people of rural America have been ignored. Today, too many small towns are struggling. Storefronts sit empty. Hospitals have closed. Farmers are disappearing. Families are working harder while falling further behind. We are the Rural Independence Initiative. We’re fighting against the corporate monopolies that have run farmers off the land, driven local stores out of business, and decimated our rural towns. Which means we are going to fight FOR public figures willing to fight for rural America. To us, party labels don’t matter. Republicans, Democrats and Independents that come down on the side of rural America will find us right by their side. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President

The easiest thing for a politician to do is go along to get along. The hardest thing is to stand up to corporate monopolies in their quest for obscene profits, tax loopholes, and rules that line their pockets. The Rural Independence Initiative was built to support leaders willing to take on the corporate monopolies. Whether they're Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, we’re standing with those willing to fight for fair markets, healthy food, and rural America. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President

We are the Rural Independence Initiative. Dedicated to bringing rural America back to life. To fight back against the corporate monopolies that have run farmers off the land, driven local stores out of business, and decimated our hometowns. To build a movement that will lift rural America, bring back prosperous rural communities, save our hospitals, our schools, and elevate the quality of life in rural America. To support the farmers who grow healthy food, create competition in the meat packing and food processing industry, revise trade policies that hurt rural America, and ensure that rural Americans can live healthy, prosperous lives. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President Farm Action Fund

We at the Rural Independence Initiative would like to commend U.S. Senator Roger Marshall for withdrawing his name as a sponsor of the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, the Senate version of the Save Our Bacon Act. We have long advocated that the so-called ‘Save our Bacon’ provision be excised from the farm bill. It takes away the right of states to set food standards, robs independent farmers of market opportunities, and further increases the power of corporate control over our food supply. We salute Senator Marshall for listening and choosing independent farmers over corporate monopolies.

Farmer Trisha Zachman on how the Save Our Bacon Act threatens her independent farm: “Most of all, I want my children to grow up knowing there is still a future in family farming. I want them to see that independent farmers can survive and thrive when consumers, voters and elected leaders stand with them. The fight over the Save Our Bacon Act is about much more than pork production. It is about who agriculture works for, what kind of rural communities we want to preserve, and whether family farmers will have a place in America’s future.” minnesotareformer.com/2026/0…

Corporate monopolies now control 85 percent of the cattle market, 84 percent of the nitrogen fertilizer industry, 67 percent of the hog processing industry, and 69 percent of the retail grocery industry. They have taken control of our food supply, run farmers off the land, driven local stores out of business, and decimated our small towns and rural America. There is a human cost to soaring corporate profits. Rural hospitals close. Schools are consolidated as the tax base erodes. Small businesses that once populated town squares now sit vacant. Young people leave with no reason to return. We are the Rural Independence Initiative. We’re fighting back against monopoly control of our food system. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President

For more than four decades, Washington has allowed a handful of corporations to seize control of the nation's food, farms, and our economy. While corporate profits have soared, rural America has been left behind. Rural poverty is higher. Wages are lower. Rural Americans die younger. Rural hospitals are being shuttered, and schools are being consolidated. Young people leave with no reason to return. We are the Rural Independence Initiative. We’re Fighting Back. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President

The Rural Independence Initiative Fair Markets. Healthy Food. Strong Communities. Why It’s Your Fight Too.

The Rural Independence Initiative is a movement to lift small towns, bring back prosperous rural communities, save our hospitals, our schools, and elevate that quality of life in rural America. For decades, policymakers in Washington on both sides of the aisle have allowed a handful of corporations to seize control of our food system, drive our farmers off the land and decimate the economic health of rural communities. As corporate monopolies have run up record profits, they have bled the life out of rural America. We’re fighting for justice: To restore fair markets for farmers. To lift small town communities. To elevate the quality of life in rural America. To make it easier for Americans to buy healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables grown on American soil. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President Farm Action Fund

We are the Rural Independence Initiative. A movement to lift small towns, bring back prosperous rural communities, save our hospitals, our schools, and elevate that quality of life in rural America. For more than four decades, Washington has allowed a handful of corporations to seize control of the nation's food, farms, and rural communities. While those corporations have churned out record profits, rural America has been left behind on nearly every measure of prosperity. Rural poverty is higher. Wages are lower. Rural Americans die younger — and more die from what researchers now call deaths of despair: suicide, drug overdose, alcohol-related illness. Our work begins in rural America, but affects the health and livelihood of every American who eats. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President Farm Action Fund

The easiest thing in politics is to go along. The hardest thing is to stand up to powerful interests when it costs you politically. The Rural Independence Initiative was built to support leaders willing to take that risk. Whether they're Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, if they fight for fair markets, healthy food, and economic independence, they won't fight alone. We'll stand with those who stand with the people. They deserve that we grow the political power of rural and working-class voters united around the same things we ask of them:  Fair markets, healthy food, and economic independence. Sign up, join the movement, and build the power. farmactionfund.us/sign-up/

There are groups that support Republicans. There are groups that support Democrats. We're building something different. The Rural Independence Initiative is the only pro-healthy-food, pro-farmer, pro-rural-America political effort willing to support candidates from any party. Candidates who are willing to stand up to corporate monopolies, restore fair competition, and put people ahead of corporations. We don't care what letter comes after a candidate's name. We care whether they're willing to fight for farmers, families, healthy food, and stronger communities. If they'll fight with us, we'll stand with them. Join the movement. farmactionfund.us/rural-inde…

Our country didn't fall apart because of our differences. It fell apart because powerful corporations spent decades dividing us while they quietly took control of our food system, our economy, and our government. Today, we're launching the Rural Independence Initiative to fight back. Fair markets. Healthy food. Economic independence. Join us. farmactionfund.us/2026/06/04…

Today, Farm Action Fund is launching the Rural Independence Initiative to bring rural America back to life. To fight back against the corporate monopolies that have run farmers off the land, driven local stores out of business, and decimated our small towns. To build a movement that will lift small towns, bring back prosperous rural communities, save our hospitals, our schools, and elevate that quality of life in rural America. To support the farmers who grow healthy food, create competition in the meat packing and food processing industry, revise trade policies that hurt rural communities, and ensure that rural Americans can live healthy, prosperous lives. Join Us - farmactionfund.us Donate - farmactionfund.us/donate Joe Maxwell, President Farm Action Fund