This summer the James Beard Foundation, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group collaborated on a letter that urges Congress to take immediate action to address the impacts of climate change in the farm bill. 

The letter galvanized action and signatures from nearly 600 chefs from across the U.S. who signed the letter asking Congress to safeguard the $20 billion that’s set aside in the Conservation Fund and earmark it for Climate Smart Agriculture.

Among those chefs was Dan Jacobs of DanDan and EsterEv, a Milwaukee chef who has developed a reputation for advocacy and who has made a conscious decision to use the visibility he’s gained from his appearance on Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 13 to continue to advocate for change.

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“In 2022 I completed the James Beard Foundation’s Advocacy Workshop,” says Jacobs. “It was incredibly insightful and it solidified what I wanted to do in terms of working for a better tomorrow. Since my time on “Top Chef” I feel even more of a responsibility to be an advocate for the things I believe are important. I only have so much time here on this earth and I want to leave the world better than I found it.” 

His current work with the James Beard Foundation is calling for government action that will directly impact farms, the food supply chain and independent restaurants. 

“I don’t think people think about the number of things that are impacted by the farm bill,” says Jacobs. “It includes things like disaster assistance, nutrition assistance (including SNAP benefits) and numerous other variables that ensure an adequate food supply, keep food prices fair and protect vital natural resources.”

Currently, the U.S. is operating under the 2018 farm bill, which is renewed approximately every five years. It was due to be marked up in 2023, but the deadline for the farm bill's programs was extended to Sept. 30, 2024. In May of 2024, the House Committee on Agriculture passed its update in a bipartisan vote. But, Congress – which has been out of session – has not yet taken action.

Jacobs says he is unsatisfied with the working version of the farm bill, which includes $20 billion in funding for conservation programs, but does not pose restrictions on those funds to ensure it’s used for Climate-Smart Agricultural Programs. There is also some debate around the support for SNAP funding, which provides food dollars and nutritional support for low-income Americans.

“Folks think about these programs and climate funding simply in the context of the farmer,” says Jacobs. “And they do help farmers. But they also have a huge impact on local restaurants, which rely on farms for produce and proteins.” 

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Climate change and restaurants

“Local restaurants are places where people gather and celebrate,” says Jacobs. We’re part of the social fabric of our communities. We bring people together. But we’re also a huge economic engine. And our work is linked to farms.”

Jacobs says that DanDan and EsterEv collectively spend close to $1200 per week at the West Allis Farmers Market. 

“You can see the impact on the weather through the produce we have available,” he says. “Usually peas are something we see in late April and early May. This year we didn’t have peas until mid-June. Green beans are late this year and so are tomatoes. The deluges of rain in May and June have destroyed and delayed so many things.”

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And that’s not just in Southeastern Wisconsin. When I spoke with Tara Roberts Turner from the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative in Waupaca, Wisconsin for another article earlier this month, she told me that 2024 has been one of the worst growing seasons in six or seven years.

“Crops have suffered immensely due to excessive rain, humid conditions and the prevalence of diseases that come with a wet, swampy season,” she noted.

Jacobs says that the unpredictability of both produce and proteins make it difficult to plan menus. 

“We’ve had to pull local meats, like lamb, from the menu due to flooding at Pin Oak Farms,” he says. “The rain destroyed the fields where their sheep graze and so they couldn’t deliver the lamb we normally order.”

Bad weather and scarcity also drives prices upwards.

“But if we put the money back into the hands of the farmers, it will allow them to do things that could help while also making it cost-effective,” says Jacobs. 

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The research

“As a chef, and in my work with restaurants around the world, I see first-hand the impact of climate change on the ingredients we source, the dishes we prepare, and on the communities and people we serve.” – José Andres

When renowned humanitarian and chef José Andres founded the Global Food Institute at George Washington University the goal was to produce research that unraveled the complexities of the global food crisis.

As part of their first research grant, the Institute released a report in collaboration with The James Beard Foundation which illustrates how climate change phenomena –including extreme weather conditions, floods, drought and shifts in agriculture – directly impact inflation and food costs, threatening the local supply chain and decreasing the quality and availability of commodity and specialty crops 

“The Climate Reality for Independent Restaurants: A Deep Dive into the Supply Chain,” also illustrates how these factors are driving up costs for the vulnerable restaurant industry and making it nearly impossible for chefs to meet consumers’ increasing demand for affordable restaurant fare. 

Even more, as these climactic changes persist, they pose an immediate threat to not only the supply chain, but the industry on the whole, which could see economic related closures or layoffs related to the increasing costs of doing business. 

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The solutions

“We grow some of the best vegetables in the country here in Wisconsin,” Jacobs says. “If we can safeguard the $20 billion in the farm bill and ensure it’s used for Climate-Smart Agriculture, the money would go directly to farmers that all of us need to exist.”

But how do we do that?  Call our Congresspeople and tell them to do just that.  It's simple and it takes just a few minutes to do.

The Global Food Institute report offers suggestions for actions federal officials can pursue to alleviate the climate crisis’ impact on independent restaurants. You can also use these as talking points.

• Support conservation programs to help farmers implement practices that can mitigate climate change, increase yields and source sustainable ingredients for restaurants.
• Provide climate-smart technical support and capacity building to address the volatile aspects of farming and implement ecological strategies to make land more resilient.
• Support local and sustainable farming practices that diversify the supply chain, and provide opportunities for small, midsize and disenfranchised farmers to thrive.
• Advocate for sustainable food policies and practices such as crop diversification, regenerative farming, efficient water and energy use and reduced farm waste.

While I was interviewing Jacobs, he demonstrated how easy it was to call a representative.

“I have Congress on speed dial,” he says, showing me the contact for Congress on his phone and the number (202) 224-3121.

He dialed the number and asked to speak with Rep. Gwen Moore about the farm bill. Moore was at the Democratic National Convention at the time. But her assistant listened and jotted down notes as Jacobs explained how important it was to local restaurants that Moore support the safeguarding of the $20 billion for Climate-Safe Agriculture Programs in the farm bill. He also offered to engage her in further conversation if she was interested.

“The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” says Jacobs. “If we don’t say anything, nothing will get done. If we don’t ask them to work for us, they don’t have anything to follow through on.”