FFV DC--Why We Host It

Farm Food Voices DC 2011

The National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobbying Day and Local Foods Feast for Congress

In 2007, the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA) held the first ever National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobby Day and Legislative Reception. At this annual event, NICFA hosts organizations, local food advocates, small family farmers, restaurateurs and chefs from around the country to lobby our federal legislators in support of local food and food sovereignty and to serve them a local foods feast.

Springtime is time for planting seed, both in the earth and in the minds and hearts of legislators. As our farmers cultivate the land for a rich yield in the future, so must we build and cultivate relationships with our legislators.  Grassroots lobbyists spend the morning meeting with legislators and aides to discuss how legislation should protect our right to procure local foods from the producers we choose. In the afternoon, we serve a local foods feast prepared by the region's best chefs and caterers for legislators, aides and advocates.

Congress needs to know where good food comes from. We give them the connection that will help our farming freedom thrive so we can continue our access to healthy, safe food. Each year, it has greatly impressed our legislators to have farmers and producers literally standing behind their products. Through encounters such as these we will begin to harvest from our legislators, and indeed our culture, an appreciation for and loyalty to local foods. And Congress will begin to realize that the safest, healthiest, most reliable food system is unregulated neighbor-to-neighbor trade.

Enjoy a write up of 2009's event from Kimberly Hartke's blog 

PLEASE invite your Representative and Senators to the Local Foods Feast Reception. Sample Invitation below:

FIND YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS 

INVITATION:

Dear Congressman_______ or Senator_________,

As your constituent, I'd like to invite you and your staff to a Local Foods Feast Reception hosted by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA) as part of NICFA's fifth annual national grassroots lobby day, Farm Food Voices DC 2011.

DATE: Wednesday, March 16

TIME: 12:00 – 2:00

ROOM: Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building

Please come and enjoy foods from small farms prepared by the area's best restaurants and caterers. Experience the finest of foods, from regional farms where animals are raised on open grass pastures with soils enriched by ecologically harmonious amendments like sea salt, compost, and natural mineral sources.

Meet the rich tradition of heritage farming - your local community family farm, your neighbors. Some are organically certified, some are beyond organic. All the farmers and the consumers who depend on them invite you to enjoy real food and to learn more about us.

If you are unable to attend, please send a staff member to represent you.

Many thanks,

Your name

Street Address

Phone number

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NOTE: PLEASE include your physical address and telephone number or they will ignore the invitation -- they have to verify you are from their district/state.