Two weeks ago, Nessa and I traveled to Washington, DC, as part of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) Winter Meeting and their lobby day. As part of the lobby day, we met with all of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation. We asked Sen. Reed, Sen. Whitehouse, Rep. Amo, and Rep. Magaziner to do everything they can to ensure the current White House Administration follows the law. Although Democrats are the minority party in Congress, they still have power and must exercise those powers vehemently. Our four meetings were just a few of the over 100 meetings with Members of Congress for NSAC’s lobby day.
Being in community with farmers and other advocates from across the country was so powerful. I heard from so many people that leaning on each other and sharing resources and knowledge is more important now than ever.
There was so much discussion on the impacts of the federal funding freeze and the Executive Orders on the U.S. food system. So many organizations are leveraging federal grants to help farmers and fishers, support people facing food insecurity, and protect the environment.
My biggest takeaway? Despite assurances from the White House that their actions would not affect farmers, their actions are doing just that.
So, who is NSAC?
NSAC is an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates at the federal level to further sustainable agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities. Composed of organizations from across the country, NSAC members work together to bring their grassroots perspectives to discussions around the Farm Bill, federal appropriations, and other national policy conversations. NSAC officially began on January 1, 2009 after a merger of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture and the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
And…why are we part of NSAC?
RIFPC joined NSAC as a participating member in 2023. At that time, our Farm Bill Work Group explored how to strengthen the network’s ability to engage in federal advocacy around the food system. Because our primary advocacy focus is at the state level, joining NSAC offers our network a unique look what is happening on Capitol Hill. In previous years, Nessa has participated in NSAC’s winter meeting. This year was the first time we could bring a network farmer – Andrew Morley, owner of Sweet & Salty Farm in Tiverton, RI – to advocate with us.
Nessa and I are staying in close contact with our Members of Congress. They need to hear from ALL Rhode Islanders about what is happening and how it is affecting us. If you haven’t called or written to them about the actions by this Administration, now is the time!
All of us are impacted by these illegal actions. Please know you are not alone. In talking to so many food systems advocates, I was reminded of the importance of checking in on your community members – especially those most vulnerable in this moment. We must protect each other. The RIFPC community is here for you. I am here for you – now and into the future.
— Max Mason De Faria, Policy & Civic Education Manager