Solutions from the Land

08/24/2026

Today, SfL Co-Chair and Board Member, Howard Yana-Shapiro, spoke with David Beasley at the Science for Development Summit 2026 in Timor-Leste, co-sponsored by the Lindau Nobel Laureates Foundation. 10 Nobel Laureates are attending and presenting at this event which is being held today and tomorrow.

https://www.sciencefordevelopment26-tl.com/

Howard and David who are pictured here on stage, spoke for an hour on “Feeding and Sustaining the Planet."

President José Ramos-Horta and Howard Yana-Shapiro are seen here in the second picture.

08/06/2026

Today, as the Senate Agriculture Committee marks up their Farm Bill 2.0, which includes a measure authorizing year-round, nationwide sale of E15 ethanol-gasoline blends, the 25x’25 renewable energy campaign releases its final assessment report.
The report invites the nation’s leaders to come together once again with a renewed sense of vision, innovation, and persistence in shaping America’s energy future and revitalizing rural communities.

You can view our press release and the report here:
https://www.solutionsfromtheland.org/news/final-25x25-assessment-report-highlights-power-of-long-term-vision-for-americas-energy-future/

Senate Ag Committee Republicans

08/05/2026

Stay tuned for an important presser related to Farm Bill 2.0 by Solutions from the Land tomorrow at 9am!

Senate Ag Committee Republicans

Farm Bill 2.0 includes a provision to authorize the year-round sale of E15—providing greater certainty for consumers, supporting American biofuels and creating stronger markets for our farmers.

It's time to advance this bipartisan measure to the Senate floor.

08/04/2026

Today the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Center for Agriculture and the Economy announced that SfL Co-Founder AG Kawamura has been appointed to its newly established Agricultural Advisory Council. The Council will offer insights into emerging economic trends and issues in agriculture, advise on strategic direction and priorities of the Center, and help strengthen connections between the Center and key stakeholders.

Congratulations, AG! It’s very fulfilling to see your leadership being recognized through this appointment!

https://www.solutionsfromtheland.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Agricultural-Advisory-Council-News-Release.pdf

08/03/2026

Meet Shelby Watson-Hampton, one of Solutions from the Land’s farmer envoys. We’re honoring our female farmer envoys as part of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)'s International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026).

For Shelby Watson-Hampton, returning to the land where she was raised meant breathing new life into familiar soil.

When her aunt inherited the family farm, the duo—along with their husbands—partnered up to transform the property into Robin Hill Farm and Vineyards. Nestled in Brandywine, Maryland, this powerhouse team now grows premium grapes, bottles handcrafted wine right on the farm, and welcomes guests to gather for weddings and events in their stunningly repurposed horse barn.

Shelby also works off-farm as Director of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) and founded The Farmed Life — a network dedicated to connecting, celebrating, and supporting rural women.

Thank you, Shelby, for your dedication to rural communities and your willingness to connect with people along the way as you move your family’s farming legacy forward.

Learn more about Shelby in the Q&A linked here:

https://www.solutionsfromtheland.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Shelby-Watson-Hampton-IYWF-for-web-V1.1.pdf

And for more information on head over to FAO’s website dedicated to woman farmers:

https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/en



Future Harvest Maryland Department of Agriculture National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs Maryland Farm Bureau University of Maryland Extension Grow Maryland

07/30/2026

Stay tuned for our upcoming monthly series featuring our woman farmer envoys for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)'s International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026!

07/24/2026

VoLo Foundation has released a podcast featuring our Voices of Florida Farmers: Building a Circular Bioeconomy report (which you can view here:https://www.solutionsfromtheland.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/SfL-FLSA-Report-final2.pdf )

Check out their Podcast episode here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voices-of-florida-farmers-building-a-circular-bioeconomy/id1547722401?i=1000774976933

or on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6RQSC2h4CIfMmMMnS5M1Qv?si=7125d358030a4e5b&nd=1&dlsi=5101c71271814f62

07/23/2026

Today at the Tri-Societies ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Canvas in the Field Workshop, Fred Yoder and I discussed our vision for farmer-led on-farm research that delivers results producers need: profitability, yield stability, and improved resilience. In order to achieve this, we need to place farmers and ranchers at the center of research, beginning at the design stage so experiments address the aforementioned interconnected, real world challenges producers are experiencing.

We are happy to report that our insight, experiences, and recommendations were well received!

Thank you to the Tri-Societies for the opportunity to participate in this opportune workshop. We look forward to collaborating with them more in the future.

07/21/2026

Today SfL is celebrating the 10-Year Anniversary of the Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative (DLLC), an initiative we helped form back in 2016. DLLC brings together representatives from farming and environmental groups, chicken companies, regulatory agencies, and academia, in a collaborative and mission-driven manner to identify solutions that support both healthy and productive ecosystems, farming, and poultry on Delmarva.

The complex challenges facing the integration of food production, environmental protection, rural economies, and communities cannot be solved by single-faceted approaches. The challenges cross boundaries, and the solutions need to as well.

DLLC is built on trusted relationships established across these boundaries within its membership.

Congratulations to everyone who has worked under the collaborative to create to a more resilient and sustainable Delmarva!

Green Fin Studio USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service



Check out DLLC's webpage: https://delmarvalandandlitter.net/

YouTube video on what DLLC is all about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmsLAyPAPxI