14
Sep
Ask Congress to Help Farmers of Color and Small and Medium-Sized Farms Selling in Local Food Markets
(Beyond Pesticides, September 14, 2020) As Congress returns to Washington this week, it is overdue to pass critical pandemic aid for families and communities, including helping small and mid-scale farms and ranches, farmers markets, and local food businesses address the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Local and Regional Farmer and Market Support Act (H.R. 8096), introduced by Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina, will help meet the needs of farmers who have been left out. Please urge your Congressional Representative co-sponsor this bill.
While farmers struggle to feed their communities during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many have not received support for critical safety and technology needs. Billions in federal aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) has gone out, but failed to reach all farmers—particularly direct marketing farmers and ranchers, diversified farmers, and folks who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Local and regional food enterprises have worked to supply food through farmers markets, food hubs, CSAs, and more, but have not received the support given to larger enterprises.
The Local and Regional Farmer and Market Support Act:
- Creates an alternative coronavirus relief payment program for farmers who sell in local and regional markets based on their historic revenue, rather than price loss;
- Provides emergency response grants for farmers markets and local food enterprises to implement public health protections and coronavirus-smart marketing practices;
- Provides emergency response grants to direct marketing farmers to help them respond to shifting markets and adopt new socially distant practices and sales models;
- Supports equity and ensure access to these grants and relief payments by prioritizing assistance to Black, Indigenous, and people of color farmers and minority-owned farmers markets and local-food enterprises; and
- Provides robust outreach and technical assistance to Black, Indigenous, and people of color farmers and ranchers.
This bill will help farmers stay in business and keep feeding their communities, ensure equitable access to aid, and support our responsive, resilient local food supply chains. Ultimately, it will create a more resilient farm and food system for the long haul toward recovery.Â
As Congress returns to Washington this week, it is overdue to pass critical pandemic aid for families and communities, including helping small and mid-scale farms and ranches, farmers markets, and local food businesses address the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Local and Regional Farmer and Market Support Act (H.R. 8096), introduced by Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina, will help meet the needs of farmers who have been left out. Please urge your Congressional Representative co-sponsor this bill.
While farmers struggle to feed their communities during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many have not received support for critical safety and technology needs. Billions in federal aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) has gone out, but failed to reach all farmers—particularly direct marketing farmers and ranchers, diversified farmers, and folks who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Local and regional food enterprises have worked to supply food through farmers markets, food hubs, CSAs, and more, but have not received the support given to larger enterprises.
The Local and Regional Farmer and Market Support Act:
- Creates an alternative coronavirus relief payment program for farmers who sell in local and regional markets based on their historic revenue, rather than price loss;
- Provides emergency response grants for farmers markets and local food enterprises to implement public health protections and coronavirus-smart marketing practices;
- Provides emergency response grants to direct marketing farmers to help them respond to shifting markets and adopt new socially distant practices and sales models;
- Supports equity and ensure access to these grants and relief payments by prioritizing assistance to Black, Indigenous, and people of color farmers and minority-owned farmers markets and local-food enterprises; and
- Provides robust outreach and technical assistance to Black, Indigenous, and people of color farmers and ranchers.
This bill will help farmers stay in business and keep feeding their communities, ensure equitable access to aid, and support our responsive, resilient local food supply chains. Ultimately, it will create a more resilient farm and food system for the long haul toward recovery.Â
Letter to Congress
I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor the Local and Regional Farmer and Market Act (H.R. 8096), introduced by Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina. It is critical for pandemic response and recovery for agriculture.
The bill:
*Provides direct support for producers selling into local and regional markets based on the income losses they have experienced.
*Prioritizes funding for Black, Indigenous, and people of color and low-income communities of color and include robust outreach, technical assistance, and data collection, to ensure that aid is distributed equitably.
*Provides emergency response grants for farmers markets and local food enterprises to allow those operations to adapt to new market conditions, implement public health and safety protections, and further support communities experiencing food insecurity.
Please fight for farmers in our state and support these provisions by co-sponsoring the Local and Regional Farmer and Market Support Act.
Thank you for your support.
