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[Livingontheland] People Putting Food First - newsletter
- From: "Douglas Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>
- To: "Douglas & Hillary Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>
- Subject: [Livingontheland] People Putting Food First - newsletter
- Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 05:55:35 -0700
1. Creative alternatives to USDA Organic Certification 2. Willits Brookside Farm 3. ACTION ALERTCall or write your congressional representative requesting removal of recently added Sec. 123 in the 2007 Farm Bill draft that would prevent states and counties from determining whether genetically modified crops can be grown.
1. Creative alternatives to USDA Organic Certification
Are corporations finally putting food first?
Close to 500
But this national network didnt come out of nowhere. Communities across the
country are realizing their power to influence the way their food is grown, and
farmers are responding. Or is it the other way around? Smaller groups such as
the Montana Sustainable Growers Union in
As localized economies start to share the spotlight with organic and sustainable, ask the essential questions: Who Benefits? Who loses? Can this be sustained? To learn more about the Montana Sustainable Growers Union and read their pledge regarding growing methods log on to http://www.homegrownmontana.org/ . To search for CNG farms near you, peruse the certification standards, check out their website at www.naturallygrown.org
2. Willits Brookside Farm
Two years ago, Jason Bradford was walking his kid to the first day of school in their new home of Willits, California and noticed a large tract of land behind the buildings, watered and mowed but inaccessible to the children. By January 2006, he had gained approval from the school board to use the land for a farm, and today that one acre is in its first year as a producing CSA farm, thanks to Bradfords full-time commitment to farming, the full time work of Christopher Hansen (funded by the Post Carbon Institute), and the volunteer efforts and donations of many community members, particularly the group known as WEL, Willits Economic Localization.
Three years ago, I couldnt tell the difference between a carrot and a
weed, said
Fruits and vegetables are grown alongside sorghum for syrup: an effort to produce a local alternative to tropical sugar imports or East Coast maple syrup. They may distill it for on-farm energy needs as low-grade ethanol.
In their first year, they are still learning and forging the connections
between the farm and the Willits community. So far, the farm serves eight CSA
members, runs a farm stand to make the produce accessible to families who cant
afford the $1,000 that CSA members have invested in the farm. They are working
towards integrating the farm produce in the schools cafeteria and curriculum
and plan to host classes from
The long-term goal is to become a training center and dramatically increase
the number of farmers producing local, sustainably grown produce. Bradford hopes
that some day food prices will be high enough to make farming high-quality
produce and taking care of the land economically viable, that people will spend
money investing in sustainable food systems instead of throw-away consumer
goods. Luckily, we dont have to wait for economics to determine that for us,
because there are people like
3. ACTION ALERTCall or write your congressional representative requesting removal of recently added Sec. 123 in the 2007 Farm Bill draft that would prevent states and counties from determining whether genetically modified crops can be grown.
The biotech industry and agribusiness have been pushing similar state bills, but now they are trying to hide it in the very lengthy Farm Bill. Please write to the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Collin C. Peterson, MN and other members of that committee. You can view the list of committee members at: http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/members.html Many house members prefer that you contact them via their web site.
Sample letter to members of the House Committee on Agriculture (You can cut and paste this letter or modify as you choose)
Subject: No preemptive language in the Farm Bill to override local democratically-passed laws that protect citizens from risky foods
Dear (name of representative);
I write to strongly oppose the pre-emptive language of Section 123 Effect of USDA Inspection and Determination of Non-Regulated Status, in the House Farm Bill inserted by the subcommittee on Livestock, Diary and Poultry on May 24.
This language in the Farm Bill would preempt the rights of states and localities to pass regulations regarding food or agricultural products or methods that the USDA has granted non-regulated status.
SEC 123. EFFECT OF USDA INSPECTION AND DETERMINATION OF NON-REGULATED STATUS. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no State or locality shall make any law prohibiting the use in commerce of an article that the Secretary of Agriculture has: (1.) inspected and passed; or (2.) determined to be of non-regulated status.
If included in the Farm
I urge you to oppose any language in the Farm Bill that would preempt state and local rights to make democratic decisions to protect their own health, food safety, and agricultural production.
Sincerely,
(Your name) |
- [Livingontheland] People Putting Food First - newsletter, Douglas Willhite, 06/08/2007
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