Hi Friend,
To hear of the waste of millions of gallons of fresh milk and many tons of newly harvested produce while grocery store and food bank shelves become increasingly sparse has been a cruel blow to our national ego. How did this happen? Why were we not prepared? How can we do better?
Thanks to small farmers across the country including many Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund members who have filled in the gaps during this crisis. While some small farms have lost commercial customers and are facing uncertainty, too, they have also found opportunity in the recent jump in demand for locally grown food and have shifted business models quickly.
However, outside forces prevent small and mid-sized farms from having a greater impact. Where industrial producers have their own business models to thank for their current woes, restrictive regulations hamper the ability of many smaller operations to sell their products. Archaic laws have long prevented small farmers from playing a more meaningful role in shoring up our food supplies and filling gaps in the nation’s food system and that has never been more apparent.
To read more including about some of these restrictive laws, click HERE.
Here’s to small farms achieving their proper place in the food chain.
In good health,
Alexia Kulwiec
Executive Director |
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