The Dirt

From our friends at National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: 

"Both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees amended and passed their draft versions of the 2013 Farm Bill on May 14 and May 15. Next, the full House and Senate will take up these bills for additional debate and amendments. The Senate is up first - they started debating the Senate Agriculture Committee's just-passed 2013 Farm Bill on Monday, May 20 and are still at work on it. 

Sustainable agriculture champions in Congress have introduced several amendments that improve healthy food access, build strong communities, protect natural resources, invest in future farmers, and ensure real reform of commodity payments. These amendments MUST make it into the final version of the farm bill, and we need your voice to help make that happen. 

If you care about getting healthy food to everyone, protecting our natural resources, and supporting the next generation of American farmers, then you'll want to take action on the 2013 Farm Bill this week!"

See the links below for a list of Farm Bill action alerts issued by our partners. Please take action today!

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Take Action! 

Food & Water Watch - Tell Your Senators: Fix The Farm Bill!

Food Democracy Now - Stop Monsanto and Support Organic, Sustainable Food!

Farmers' Market Coalition: Farm Bill Update: FMPP 

You may already be aware that the SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown is celebrating its 10th anniversary this Saturday, May 18th! We are so thankful for the past 10 years of local, sustainable food, farmers, volunteers, and wonderful customers who keep coming back to support the markets. To commemorate this special occasion, we asked our community: What’s YOUR market story? Here are some of the responses:

 

I've been working for Engel Farms for six years, and for about 4-5 years I've been coming to markets, particularly Downtown. I really enjoy the families - little children, infants, families together, it's a good atmosphere for them to come out. The Downtown market is really good. We've got a lot of regular customers who come every week." - Phillip Bayer, Engel Farms

 

I've been doing the Downtown market for almost five years. What I love about coming to the market is being able to have the direct connection to my customers. It's a well-managed market…the clientele continues to get more diverse, and there's more demand for our produce and eggs. - Chris Olsen, Milagro Farms

 

I started volunteering at the Market 10 years ago on the opening day, but prior to that I was pleased to be part of planning the year before with Suzanne [Santos] and Karen Enredy (exact name and spelling has escaped me). At that time, I was Director of Visitor Services at the Convention and Visitors Bureau and realized the significant impact that local Farmers’ Markets have on tourism. When the Market opened in Republic Square, Nancy Burns and I were present in the Information Booth on the early shift EVERY SATURDAY for the first year and a half or so! Now we have so many great volunteers that we only go once a month!

One of the joys of volunteering is getting to see and visit with Toni, Janet, Henry and Ann and others who have been faithful patrons of the Market from the beginning and continue to this day! What a privilege to see how far the Sustainable Food Center has come in these 10 years and I thank you for the opportunity to serve. - Barbara Grove

 

Nearly every single Saturday I meet one of my best friends, Claire at the Farmer's Market - same time, same place. [I'm hesitant to admit] we have somewhat of a routine to the morning which always begins with coffee (1/2 coffee, 1/2 spiced chai to the cup!) We walk a couple loops around the market, initially catching up on the week. I can't remember a time we didn't stop by Cake and Spoon for a scone. (Every single week Claire asks what the different scone flavors are but I have yet to see her purchase anything other than the amazing ginger!) We are usually ready for another cup of coffee by this point and make our way back to Texas Coffee Traders for a refill (minimum of 2 cups per Saturday and I think once or twice we've maxed out at 4...) It is not unusual to find us, at some point, in the line at The Gardener's Feast waiting for a tamale. After several laps and several familiar faces (both human and canine) we always scope out the best looking spinach or beets or tomatoes that week.

So, happy anniversary and thank you SFC Farmer's Market for cultivating a healthy city by strengthening the local food system! And on a more personal level thank you for giving Claire and I the best possible place to enjoy Austin and enjoy each other, week after week. Sustainable food. Sustainable friendship. - Marcee Vest

 

I've been shopping at the SFC Farmers' Markets for the past couple of years. I love having the opportunity to support local farmers and buy the freshest produce available. Since becoming more involved in the SFC as a volunteer, I've started to look differently at food and the culture surrounding it. Now I try to include more vegetables in my diet and really take notice of where my food is coming from. I feel lucky to live in Austin where I can buy tomatoes at their peak, locally grown greens, farm eggs, and fresh roasted coffee. It's so wonderful to see how the markets have expanded in the past 10 years and how the SFC is striving to make these healthy foods available to more and more people in our community. - Breanna Rollings

 

My family and I try to go to the farmer's market every weekend - we try to make it a special experience that the children, 4 and 6 years old, always look forward to repeating. They have fun running around the kid-designated building / crafts areas and then picking the fruits and vegetables that look interesting or unusual to them - they are big fans of the multi-colored carrots. We all choose a treat and browse the stalls while listening to local performers. My favorite moment this year happened when we went to the market on a chilly day in December. The musicians were playing Christmas songs and the guest chef demonstration and samples by Chef Josh Watkins from The Carillon were an outstanding Saturday morning indulgence. The band invited children to participate in the songs, and my kids didn't leave the microphone for the next half hour. It was a great combination of local talent, foods, music and family. - Bethlyn Thornton

After almost a year operating at the YMCA East Communities Branch located at Highway 183 and 51st Street, the SFC Farmers’ Market East moved March 5th to its new location at MLK and Miriam Street, near the Capital MetroRail M Station. The market also changed its hours of operation and is now being held from 3:00pm - 7:00pm with 13 farmers and vendors in attendance. The market staff is excited to be serving the community at the new location and appreciates the community support they've already received! In fact, they've been sharing stories all week from that first evening that highlight the warm welcome and support the market received from the East Austin community.

The first evening at the new site saw lots of new community members visiting the market for the first time, along with several of the markets regular shoppers from the previous location. Several of the SFC Farmers' Market managers were on-site that evening marveling at the crowds gathered when they were approached by a mother and daughter. As the daughter looked up at the managers with a smile on her face, the mother simply thanked them. "Thank you, I was never able to make it to the other location at that time." With a few kind words she expressed what she and the market managers were all feeling. Gratitude.

With little fanfare and advertisement crowds of individuals continued to show from the community. One school child who attended the market with his class earlier in the evening, later showed up with his family in tow. He wanted to share with his mother and sister what he'd seen and tasted earlier at the market. Another neighbor who had walked across the street from his home nearby, offered an invitation to SFC staff to stop by his pink house anytime if his white truck was there.

SFC Farmers' Market staff couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome or a better way to kick-off the markets second year. Thank you to everyone who came by and we'll see you at the market!

 

Clockwise from top left: Kids learn how to make kettle corn; Austin City Council Member Mike Martinez smiles with SFC Executive Director Ronda Rutledge and SFC Farmers' Market Director Suzanne Santos; A cute baby goat from Swede Farm; Fresh produce from Johnson's Backyard Garden

 

Our friends at the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) have issued the following update about today's House Agriculture Committee markup on their draft of the 2012 Farm Bill. Please take action and call your representatives today!

 

We are very disappointed to see that the House Ag Committee rejected two amendments proposing to restore cuts to SNAP.

Call your Representative and let them know that you oppose any cuts to SNAP.

We are pleased to report that the House Ag Committee has passed:

• Rep. Johnson’s (R-IL) Amendment #62 that provides new authority to Community Food Projects program to support programs providing incentives to SNAP customers purchasing fruits and vegetables at farmers markets
• Rep. Pingree’s (D-ME) Amendment #26 (Pingree D-ME) that allows SNAP participants to use their benefits to pay in advance for food provided through a CSA share.
• But we still need your help! The House Agriculture Committee is still in the process of marking up the Farm Bill.

TAKE ACTION!

Contact your Representative immediately and tell them to support:

• Amendment #3 introduced by Rep. Pingree (D-ME) that would allow schools in small districts to use some of their commodity entitlement for local purchases and establish demonstration projects in at least 10 states to test alternative farm to school procurement models
• Amendment #103 introduced by Rep. Cardoza (D-CA) that would strike the provision in the House bill to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to allow frozen, canned and dried fruits beyond its current focus of fresh produce.
• Amendment #50 introduced by Rep. Fudge (D-OH) to permit Farm Service Agency to make loans to youth farmers in cities Amendment #51 introduced by Rep. Fudge (D-OH) to authorize grants and loans for retail in underserved communities through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative Amendment #55 introduced by Rep. Walz (D-MN), Rep. Noem (R-SD), Fortenberry (R-NE) to protect conservation programs and support beginning farmers.

For a list of how CFSC priorities fare in the FARRM draft, click here.

Call Now!

Call your Representative right now and ask them to renew and strenghten these programs by matching Senate funding levels in the House version of the Farm Bill!

It's easy to call! You can get your Representative's name and direct number by going to Congress.org and typing in your zip code. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard, provide your Representative's name and be directly connected to their: (202) 225-3121.

---

Questions? Please contact CFSC Policy Office: 202-481-6933.

Thank you for your help!
Community Food Security Coalition

On April 26th, the Senate Agriculture Committee approved their draft of the 2012 Farm Bill (the Agricultural Reform, Food and Jobs Act). This bill includes a substantial $23 billion in savings over 10 years, and does so by drastically cutting the budget from commodity programs as well as our critical conservation and nutrition programs.

Many of the priorities identified by SFC and our partners were included in the Senate Ag committee’s recent version. Our friends at the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) have issued an article detailing how many of our priorities fared. Please click here to read the full CFSC article.

The bill includes increased funding for:

• Farmers’ Market and Local Food Promotion Program
• Hunger-Free Community Incentive Grants
• Specialty Crop Block Grants
• Healthy Food Financing Initiative
• Improving ease of SNAP Redemption at Farmers’ Markets
• Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

As the Farm Bill moves from the committee to the full Senate, SFC reminds you of how powerful a call to your lawmakers can be. We encourage you to call or email your Senators today to ask for their support for those priorities listed above. Consider this: If you’re not talking to Congress about food who is?

Detailed information on how to contact your representatives is included in our recent blog posting: http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/_blog/The_Dirt/post/Farm_Bill_2012_Update/