New York Times on the Federal Barriers to Local Farming

Raj — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:30:32 -0700

Half a dozen of you fine fine people have sent in this New York Times op-ed about sustainable farming. Seems a shame not to repost it here.

My Forbidden Fruits (and Vegetables)
By JACK HEDIN

Rushford, Minn.

IF you’ve stood in line at a farmers’ market recently, you know that the local food movement is thriving, to the point that small farmers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand.

But consumers who would like to be able to buy local fruits and vegetables not just at farmers’ markets, but also in the produce aisle of their supermarket, will be dismayed to learn that the federal government works deliberately and forcefully to prevent the local food movement from expanding. And the barriers that the United States Department of Agriculture has put in place will be extended when the farm bill that House and Senate negotiators are working on now goes into effect. ... read more »

U.S. Farmers Get International on Agricultural Policy

Raj — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:59:37 -0700

Although I don't make a habit of reproducing press releases in their entirety, this one's germane enough, and unlikely enough to be anywhere else, to warrant a posting here.

It comes from the Nyéléni : the 2007 World Summit on Food Sovereignty, and it shows how farmers in the US and the rest of the world, have far more in common than we're led to believe.

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