Farm women form group to speak out on farm, food policies

A group of farm women announced the foundation of Farm Women United (FWU). FWU was organized by farm women who are no longer willing to be ignored or silenced by the powerful “special interests” currently controlling the nation’s farm and food policies.

Farm women usually bear the brunt of the stress related to trying to pay bills and feed their families with farm income that is completely inadequate. Farm women work alongside their families and understand how hard farmers work while at the same time being keenly aware of severe injustices being perpetrated against farmers (if for no other reason than farmers are too efficient).

FWU demands that legislators at the local, state, and federal levels, work for more effective legislation to support a family farm system of agriculture, to promote healthy rural communities, and to guarantee our nation’s food security, so that consumers can access an abundant supply of nourishing, fresh, local food.

Immediate legislative priorities include; emergency floor price hearings for fluid milk, elimination of the “make allowance” program, whole milk in the school lunch program, elimination of margin insurance, and the restructuring of dairy cooperatives. FWU members will not sit out discussion and listening sessions around the 2018 Farm Bill. FWU will be looking at the voting records for the members of Congress and grading them as to how they vote on food and farm policy, and release their findings to the public.

FWU is also kicking off a “Green Ribbon for Family Farms” Campaign, where a green ribbon is worn on the outside of clothing, over the heart, to show support for family farms.

Farm Women United welcomes the support and involvement from farm women across the United States, in both current and upcoming projects.

For more information, please check out the website, www.farmwomenunited.org and  Facebook page.