Bryce Oates
Bryce Oates writes The Cocklebur on Substack and is a Contributing Editor (Rural Community Organizing) at Barn Raiser. He writes about rural policy, people, places and politics. His work includes narrative nonfiction, opinion pieces and Q&A interviews. Bryce studies how the federal budget affects rural counties, farm and food policy, public lands and conservation issues, racial and gender equity in rural areas, climate change, economic inequality, rural demographic data and rural politics. A former farmer, rural economic developer and community organizer, he lives and works in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
Latest articles
page 2 of 3Six Takeaways from the GOP’s Farm Bill Draft
Austerity budgets, SNAP cuts, fuzzy math, nostalgia for “Bipartisanship” and more
House Ag Committee Passes Farm Bill Draft Protecting Key Republican Priorities
After hours of contentious debate over nutrition, conservation, the definition of “cuts” and the meaning of “bipartisanship,” the Republican-led committee passed a bill that crossed several of Democrats’ “red lines”
Partisan Clash or ‘Grand Bargain’? Dueling Proposals Set the Stage for the Farm Bill’s Uncertain Future
Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress appeal for support for their vision of the farm bill, yet a deep impasse looms ahead of an expected May 23 markup in the House
Conservation Programs Are Popular with Farmers. Why Does the G.O.P. Want to Defund Them?
Republicans are targeting Inflation Reduction Act climate funding that mostly benefits red state farmers
Democrats Are Missing a Key Moment to Back Farmworkers
Despite a lack of evidence, Republicans in the House claim that high farmworker wages are causing farmers to go broke. Democrats should stand up for farmworkers and set the record straight.
The Debate Holding Up the Farm Bill is Simple. Solving It Isn’t.
How the farm safety net feeds Big Ag’s insatiable appetite
