Policy Priorities

  • Drive Rural Prosperity

  • Right-Size and Reorient Government

  • Generate Responsible Nutrition Policy

Download Farmers First Agenda Press Kit

The America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Farmers First Agenda is foundational to our prospective rural policy work. Uniquely crafted by individuals with real-world farming and policy experience, the Farmers First Agenda provides rural Americans with peace of mind that AFPI has their best interests at heart. AFPI is working to ensure rural America is prosperous and healthy again, which is important because our rural communities are responsible for providing a reliable, abundant, and affordable domestic food supply to our great Nation and the world.

President Abraham Lincoln once said that “no other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought as agriculture” (Lincoln, 1859).

As we approach the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026, we are reminded that agriculture and subsistence farming are foundational to the United States, as these were primary professions at the time of our Nation’s founding. As the population expanded into the great American frontier, farmers and smallholders rose to the occasion by both fulfilling demand in the domestic market and by generating exports, especially after Industrialization. Farmers faced excruciating hardship when the Dust Bowl coincided with the Great Depression, serving as the major impetus for establishing programs that protect highly erodible soil and conserve water. Modernizations in farming techniques, along with new agricultural policies in Washington, D.C., have afforded our farmers more prosperous future decades. In a sentence: The faith, grit, adeptness, and determination of the American farmer have always carried the profession forward.

Team

Latest

Commentary | June 12, 2025

Governor Mike Braun: Leading Indiana with Wellness, Innovation, and Integrity

Governor Mike Braun’s journey from entrepreneurial grit to national leadership paints a picture of principled conservatism rooted in real-world results. In a recent sit-down with entrepreneur and agricultural leader Sarah Frey, the Indiana Governor shared how his lived experience—building a business, raising a family, and serving in the U.S. Senate—informs his health care and agricultural reforms across the Hoosier State.

News Release | June 12, 2025

AFPI Launches America First Agriculture Commissioners and Secretaries Council

Following the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) recent launch of the Farmers First Agenda, AFPI is launching today the America First Agriculture Commissioners & Secretaries Council. The Council will prospectively bring together state commissioners, secretaries, and directors of agriculture to inform federal, state, and local government policy recommendations that further the Farmers First Agenda.

Statement | June 4, 2025

Food Security and Immigration Security are Essential for National Security

Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement from Adam Savit, Director of AFPI’s China Policy Initiative

News Release | May 29, 2025

America First Policy Institute Releases New Brief Urging Reform of Federal Nutrition Programs

Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released a new policy brief as part of its Farmers First Agenda and Healthy America initiative, titled Driving Responsible Nutrition Policy. The paper lays out a strategy to restore real nutrition to federal nutrition programs and empowers farmers and local communities to drive healthier outcomes.

Policy | May 29, 2025

Driving Responsible Nutrition Policy

This document outlines the AFPI Farmers First agenda for responsible nutrition policy, with initial proposed solutions.

Join The
Movement



By providing your information, you become a member of America First Policy Institute and consent to receive emails. By checking the opt in box, you consent to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Text STOP to opt-out or HELP for help. SMS opt in will not be sold, rented, or shared. View our Privacy Policy and Mobile Terms of Service.