It’s time to stand with our farmers

It’s time to stand up for our farming community and vote with our food dollars for rural prosperity in our agricultural community.

The Hudson Valley is rich with resources for land, water, research, education, multi-generational family farms and access to urban market places to bridge the gap between consumers and where local fresh food is sourced along the mighty Hudson River.

Good food is not a privilege and we all have the right to eat! It doesn’t have to be certified and the cost?

We must pay a fair living wage direct to the farms that produce honest food and bring it directly to the market through restaurants, retailers, farmers markets, cooperatives and CSA farm share programs to offer everyone equal opportunity to eat delicious and nutrient dense fresh food from the farm to our tables.

Somehow, the big business of food with their processed agendas and greedy distribution monopolies seized our access and placed a control on pricing to render us sick, fat, overfed and starving to death for real nutrition — programmed by the science of taste and not the reward of agriculture key to our good food ways based in health and community.

Farming is a noble profession and deserves accolades for rebuilding local economies, sustaining resilient agriculture and combatting food insecurity in the name of health and wellness we can all support just by buying local and chemical-free food with a collective consciousness that is has impact and is mutually beneficial to all.

I call on ag-business to revitalize a respect for farming as a noble profession and connect us all to better quality food instead of shortcuts in nutrition for the sake of convenience and profits alone. I call on the community to reverse the trend for processed food and get back to the farm to challenge us all to reconnect with farmers that work so hard to feed us well.

There is no barrier. There are no excuses. No packaging or food claims will convince you or promise what’s more important: Supporting family farms and our good health.

At the beginning of the food-chain are people who care: They wake up everyday to feed us all both tirelessly and dedicated. It’s time we thank our farmers and reward them by committing to buy beyond the label and shop for food from them in every way possible to impact economic development and good health. Only then do we push back on ag-business agendas and get involved with the goodness farm-to-table offers.

It’s about ethics — food ethics and communities.

“Eating is an agricultural act,” Wendell Berry said. We have to savor that idea every time we decide to take a bite. The impact is far and wide, and beyond organic — it’s better for us all!

Back to the farm we must go! Get involved. Eat local. Change our lives simply because of your food choices and food sources three times a day.

It matters and it starts with waking up each day with conscious food options that keep farmers farming and kids healthy, too. You pay it forward with good health and we all save in many, many ways beyond our wallets.

Make the switch today! Visit a farm and meet your farmers. Don’t forget to thank them, too! FarmOn!

Questions or comments? Email tessa@farmonfoundation.org.