Exciting news! Now that we have launched our model of shared leadership with the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, we’re hitting the road.
Kathy Ozer, ¡Presente!
We are deeply saddened to report the passing of our beloved, courageous and steadfast leader and friend, Kathy Ozer. Her indefatigable optimism and resolve eventually were not enough to overcome her cancer, and she died peacefully on Sunday, January 22, 2017.
Let’s Make Parity Our National Policy
This speech by George Naylor was written as the keynote address to precede the panel, Farmers Leading the Food Movement, for the Food Tank Summit, Washington, D.C., April 21, 2016.
CAGJ & C2C Co-Host USFSA & Food Sovereignty Prize in Seattle
Last week, representatives of over 20 organizations gathered in Seattle and Bellingham for several days of dialogue, action, and celebration of the growing food sovereignty movement. The Encounter, co-hosted by Community Alliance for Global Justice and Community to Community Development was a national gathering of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance (USFSA). On Saturday, we honored Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and Farmworkers Association of Florida as recipients of the 8th Annual Food Sovereignty Prize, awarded by the USFSA.
USFSA Holds Learning Call on People’s Agrarian Reform
On May 23, 2016, the Resource Reform work team of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance held a learning call on People’s Agrarian Reform based on the principles outlined by La Via Campesina (http://bit.ly/1R9ospB) at their April 2016 International Conference of Agrarian Reform. Speaking were Blain Snipstal (Black Dirt Farm Collective, SAFFON and Rural Coalition), Dena Hoff (Northern Plains Resource Council, NFFC), Saulo Araujo (WhyHunger) and Eric Holt-Gimenez (Food First). Excellent questions and dialogue followed the presentations, all of which may be heard at https://soundcloud.com/user-319354071/peoples-agrarian-reform-usfsa-learning-call-52316.
NFFC Stands with Hawai’i Activists Fighting GMO Influence
NFFC joined Pesticide Action Network at their January 2016 international meeting in Hawai’i to discuss plans for ending the proliferation of GMOs worldwide and the long-term GMO research on the island of Maui. The collaboration included the following proclamation.
NFFC December 2015 Newsletter
Our 2015 December Newsletter offers a sense of some of our campaigns and wins in 2015, as well as insights, stories and photos from NFFC farmers, fishermen and food sovereignty allies.
NFFC Fights for 2501 Program in Letter to President Obama
NFFC joined over 110 organizations in a letter to President Obama to restore funding for socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in FY 2017.
NFFC President Urges House to Oppose HR 1599, DARK Act
For non-GMO farmers, H.R. 1599 would be disastrous as it would preempt laws designed to protect them from GMO contamination of their fields. Without strong regulations and oversight, farmers’ crops and livelihoods are at risk in ways that they, their families and their communities cannot afford.
USFRA Promotes Agribusiness, Not Farmers
The USFRA was created in 2011 as a trade association uniting Big Ag corporations (such as Monsanto, Cargill and DuPont Pioneer) and marketing groups for commodities (including corn, soybeans, beef and pork). Take note: some of these groups are farmer-funded, but in reality, farmers have no choice but to fund them, and it is often at their own expense.
The Battle for the Capitol – Solidarity within the Food System
On April 28th, NFFC and Iowa CCI staff joined ROC United, National Domestic Workers Alliance, the National People’s Action, and the National Organization for Women to show Congress that we are fed up with them favoring corporations over people. The march timed to coincide with the National Restaurant Association’s annual lobby day. “The other NRA” has worked to block minimum minimum wage increases, paid sick day legislation, and kept the federal tipped minimum wage at $2.13 since 1991. The NRA also lobbied against sustainable farming practices, farm animal welfare rules, and efforts to label the nutritional quality of foods in restaurants.
Growing Food and Justice Initiative Debrief
Immediately after the Food Sovereignty Prize, Rachel flew to Taos, New Mexico to represent NFFC and USFSA at the Growing Food and Justice Initiative Gathering. She attended the Intensive Leadership Facilitation Training as well as the main conference to join the conversation about racism and structural inequality in our food system.