Family Farm Alliance - The Family Farm Alliance Website

The Family Farm Alliance board of directors in February 2007 made climate change a priority issue for the Alliance to engage in. The Alliance in September 2007 released its climate change report, entitled “Water Supply in a Changing Climate: The Perspective of Family Farmers and Ranchers in the Irrigated West”. The report was prepared by a climate change subcommittee, Advisory Committee members, and water resources experts from around the West.

Alliance President Patrick O’Toole (WYOMING) in 2007 testified in June and December on this matter before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. After the hearings, Members of the committee asked Pat to respond to some follow-up questions.Those responses (June response, December response) were submitted to the committee and also transmitted to our membership. Alliance Executive Director Dan Keppen on June 10, 2008 testified before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. See his response to questions posed by members of the committee after the hearing.

Family Farm Alliance 2008 "Activities and Accomplishments" Report. A 30 plus page summary of how the Alliance engaged on matters important to Western irrigators. Click here for the PDF version of the report.

NEW! Western Water Policy - Challenges and Opportunities of Times and Our Legacy for the Next Generation

The Alliance's perspective on a new course for managing Western water issues. Developed in time to provide guidance for a new Administration in Washington.
View Printable version of the executive summary brochure.

Welcome to the Family Farm Alliance Web site. We invite you to take a look around our site and find out more about our Alliance.

Alliance Mission
Defending Irrigated Agriculture

The Family Farm Alliance is a powerful advocate for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts, and allied industries in seventeen Western states. The Alliance is focused on one mission - To ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to Western farmers and ranchers.

The Family Farm Alliance is recognized as an authority on critical issues dealing with Western water policy. Our targeted focus enables us to be extremely effective.

To support our mission, we seek to:

· Impact key issues in Congress and federal and state regulatory agencies on irrigated agriculture issues.

· Build coalitions and create powerful alliances to advocate for irrigated agriculture.

· Facilitate the delivery of accurate and timely information to Congress, regulatory agencies and our members on issues which impact Western irrigators.

· Communicate with the media and the public on critical issues impacting Western irrigated agriculture.

Learn more about us....

Dan Keppen

Executive Director

Family Farm Alliance

In the News....

Alliance Sets Up Legal Fund to Push for Sound Science in Federal Water Decisions

The Family Farm Alliance Board of Directors on June 9, 2009 took extraordinary action by directing staff to seek a judicial order requiring the federal government to use the best available scientific

data in documents intended to protect the Delta Smelt under the Endangered Species Act, and is seeking contributions for a special fund established to support that effort.

Read and Print June 23 "Issue Alert" (PDF)

June 2009 "Monthly Briefing"

San Joaquin Crisis Grabs DC Attention

Alliance Establishes Legal Fund

Alliance Joins New Ranching Coalition

Irrigation Association to Host Conference

Controversial Clean Water Act Bill Clears Committee

Cap and Trade Bill Narrowly Passes U.S. House

House Ag Committee Compiles Climate Change Responses

Jim Lundgren Steps Down from Alliance Board

Water World Mourns Loss of Craig Bell

Alliance to Address Farm Foundation Forum at National Press Club

Thanks to our Donors!

Read & Download the June 2009 "Monthly Briefing" (PDF)

Alliance Provides Water Infrastructure Recommendations to Ag, Interior Secretaries

The Family Farm Alliance on February 9, 2009 formally transmitted recommendations to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for aging water infrastructure projects and the economic stimulus package.

Read the entire 2/9/9 Alliance letter (6 pp)

Alliance Employs IQA to Ensure Sound Science is Used in CA

The Family Farm Alliance on December 15, 2008 filed a federal Information Quality Act (IQA) request with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure that any new federal requirements for the protection of Delta Smelt will be based solely on the best available information. Congress established the IQA in 2001, with the intent of "ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility and integrity of information disseminated by Federal agencies."

If the information in the draft Effects Analysis for the Delta Smelt is not corrected, the Alliance is concerned that other water users will face drastic and potentially permanent reductions in the water they need to live, grow their crops, and run their businesses, and water agencies will have insufficient supplies to satisfy demand.

Read the December 15, 2008 Alliance Media Release.

Read the transmittal letter.

Read the summary of requests.

Read the detailed request document

Read the Delta Smelt Affects Analysis

Nomination of Sen. Salazar Applauded by Alliance President

Family Farm Alliance President Patrick O'Toole on December 17, 2008 voiced support for President-Elect Obama's nomination of Senator Ken Salazar to be the next Secretary of the Interior. O'Toole used the occasion to introduce an important water policy paper that the Alliance hopes can be used by the incoming Obama Administration to develop solutions to Western water problems that balance environmental demands with economic realities.

Read the 12/17/08 Press Release

Download and read 2008 Alliance Western Water Policy Report