Watch: Our Sacred Land–Farms, Food, and Fairness

/in , , , , /by

This hybrid event, held March 6 at First Congregational Church in Albuquerque, lifted up the voices of those at the center of our food systems in New Mexico and beyond. Panelists discussed the multi-faceted challenges facing farmers and ranchers – from mental health to local challenges to national legislation. — such as the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (OFF Act).


Pam Roy, executive director of Farm to Table New Mexico, introduced
panelists and led the discussion


Alan Brauer from Indigenous Farm Hub was one of our panelists


Desiree Woodland spoke about the stress conditions facing farmers


Our special guest Sarah Carden from Farm Action Fund visited us from western New York.
She and Cash Carruth, a farmer from Bloomfield, NM, spoke about the Opportunities for
Fairness in Farming Act, also known as the OFF Act.

Here is the full video, courtesy of First Congregational Church.  
Included are an introduction by Rev. Clara Sims and a question-and-answer session

Urge Sen. Ben Ray Lujan to Support Independent Farmers

/in , , , /by

More than 50 people registered for our event, Our Sacred Lands: Food, Farming, and Fairness, held on Wednesday, March 6, at First Congregational Church in Albuquerque. A number of those in attendance participated viertually via Zoom.  Our panel examined the challenges facing independent farmers, from mental health to systemic challenges, including the misuse of a federal assistance program (which favors corporate entities).<

Our in-state panelists included Alan Brauer  (Indigenous Farm Hub), Desiree Woodland (Suicide Prevention Group), and Cash Carruth (a farmer from Bloomfield, NM, who joined us briefly on Zoom). Pam Roy from Farm to Table New Mexico moderated.

Our special invitee was Sarah Carden from Farm Action Fund, who flew in from western New York to talk about  the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act.

Background: America’s farmers and ranchers are being forced to pay into government checkoff programs, only to see those dollars used against them by lobbying organizations representing the world’s largest meatpackers and grain traders.  These organizations pick the winners and losers of our food system – promoting industrial farming policies at the expense of every other farmer.  Read more from Farm Action Fund

The OFF act seeks to add transparency  and accountability to the manner in which check-off funds (money collected from all farmers to promote agricultureal products). There is evidence that the expenditures of the fund tends to favor the large corporate farming organizations. Sometimes the money is spent in a corrupt manner for unauthorized purposes.<

Contact Sen. Lujan

The reform of the OFF Act will be addressed in the Farm Bill discussions in the Senate and House Agriculture Committees in the coming weeks. One committee member who represents a critical vote in the upper chamber is Sen. Ben Ray Lujan.  Therefore, we are urged to contact Sen. Lujan’s office in D.C. at 202.224.6621 and ask him to support the OFF Act. You can e-mail Sen. Lujan’s office in Washington as well.  Use this link

Message: Urge Sen. Lujan to support the OFF Act

Public News Service Highlights Our Event

/in , , , , /by

Today the New Mexico News Connection ran the story New Mexico panelists tackle food, farming and fairness. The coverage is related to our event Our Sacred Lands: Food, Farming, and Fairness, scheduled on Wednesday evening, March 6, at 6:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2801 Lomas Blvd SE The event offers the option of in-person attendance or virtual attendamce.

New Mexico News Connection is a part of Public News Service, an independent network of state-based news services. Our goal is threefold: to support an informed and engaged public, fund independent journalism, and tell the stories of people doing public interest work in communities across the country. You can also check out our social media listed below.