The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious crisis for our food system – producers’ markets are suddenly shuttered, workers are falling sick without adequate health safety provisions, and eaters are unable to buy groceries. Farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and workers throughout our food system are putting their lives in danger to continue putting food on our tables, but many are facing their worst financial crisis in 40 years and are going out of business in record numbers: local and regional food markets are estimated to lose more than $1.02 billion in sales from March to December due to the pandemic[1]. We’re calling on Congress to further bolster our food system in any stimulus legislation!

Please call Congress this Tuesday, April 14th, and tell them to LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM. 

A full list of policy demands is located here.

Members of Congress are in their home districts this week. Tell them to support family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food system workers:

• Visit ContactingCongress.org to find your elected officials’ contact information and call their in-state office.
• Wait for an operator or staffer to answer to take your message.
• Share the message below (or something similar):

“I am a ________ (farmer, contract grower, consumer, etc.) from _________ (city and state or state) calling in support of family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food system workers. We need (the elected official’s name) to provide leadership in protecting everyone who brings food to our tables, especially in this period of crisis. In particular we urge Congress to pass legislation to support our local food systems, relieve crushing debt for farmers, ranchers, and fishermen, and ensure that they – rather than corporations – are paid fairly.

Thank you.

(Please leave your contact info, if they ask.)

I would like to know where (elected official’s name) stands on these issues.  Please contact me at ___________.  Thank you.”

[1] https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/covid-economic-impact-local-food/