Comments alanrhunt has made

  • Farmers Markets are for Everyone

    Some great local projects use farmers markets and community supported agriculture to specifically  ensure that lower income people can access fresh, raw, and local foods.  Here is one example: http://www.growingpower.org/

    Also, in the US, the federal goverment has been in the business of helping lower income people, women and children, and seniors purchase food.

    Farmers' markets are included in those efforts, through two programs-

    Women Infants and Children Farmers Market Nutrition Program - provides vouchers to be used at farmers markets, communtiy supported agriculture and farm stands to purchase fresh foods. http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/FMNP/FMNPfaqs.htm

    Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program - provides vouchers for low income elderly to purchase fresh foods at farmers' markets, communtiy supported agriculture and farm stands. http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/SeniorFMNP/SeniorFMNPoverview ...

    These programs aren't a lot of money, but they are a response to ensure equity in accessing the fresh, healthy foods that our local farmers produce.   The US congress looks like it will allow more funds to support these porgrams, but we're not out of the woods yet, until they finsih writing the Farm  Bill this fall.  

    We're also working to get farmers markets plugged back into food stamps since it went to debit-style card (most markets aren't wired places).

    We need all the help we can get in DC to move these issues along, and ensure that local foods are accessible all.

    To tell Congress to support fresh, local foods for all go to www.healthyfarmbill.org.On Ruminations on food, class, and Carlo Petrini posted 2 years, 5 months ago 17 Responses

  • You can do something about this

    The Congress is in the midst of renewing the policies which shape the farm and food system. These policies are already being written NOW and will be voted on probably by the end of the summer.

    You can influence this process.

    Go to healthyfarmbill.org

    There you can write a letter to your Senators and Representatives to support that increase opportunties for farmers who can't compete in the increasingly centralized markets but can compete in local and regional markets.
    On Even USDA researchers are a bit creeped out by corporate control of food posted 2 years, 5 months ago 3 Responses