You Wanted to Be a Farmer: A Discussion of Scale National Screening Day April 17, 2012

Click here for list of locations and times. Special thanks to our friends at Rural Vermont for coordinating 13 showings around Vermont!

Accountability Rally & March
Tuesday, April 17 11AM
Maine Department of Agriculture

followed by a March to the State House
to deliver a petition calling on Gov. LePage to drop the lawsuit against Blue Hill farmer Dan Brown

A recent expose by the Portland Press Herald on the Hannaford ground beef recall reveals startling details about the lack of transparency and accountability in the U.S. food system, including the USDA refusing to allow our elected officials to share with us important information about where our food comes from!

Among the PPH’s findings:

• “USDA has failed to required retailers to track what goes into their hamburger meat”
• “Most retailers, including Hannaford, do not keep detailed records and have chosen not to follow federal recommendations”
• “Federal officials and food safety experts do not believe the salmonella contamination happened at Hannaford”

and this…

• “The USDA never found the source of the contamination”

Hannaford has refused to provide the public the names of their ground beef suppliers. Should anonymous agribusiness corporations be allowed to engage in high-risk food production methods without transparency or accountability?

While agribusiness corporations operate in the shadows causing real food-borne illness, small and diversified family farms are being regulated out of existence. Or having their insurance cancelled to protect large corporate dairy interests! And those who stand up run the risk of being shut down, whether they have ever made anyone sick or not!

Like Farmer Dan Brown and Gravelwood Farm in Blue Hill!

Sign the petition to drop the lawsuit!

On Tuesday, April 17 come rally at the Maine Department of Agriculture for accountability and real safety in the food system. Then march to the State House (about 2 miles) and help deliver a petition signed by over 2,300 people asking Gov. Paul LePage to drop the lawsuit against Dan Brown and Gravelwood Farm.

We’ll toast it all with farm fresh milk and homemade cookies!

Let’s stand together and say to our elected officials and state agencies

“Save our tax dollars and fix the real problem!”

“Where’s the (Real) Beef?” Accountability Rally & March  April 17  11am

Maine Department of Agriculture
28 State House Station Augusta, ME (click here for a map)
Tuesday, April 17 11am

Maine State House
State House Station Augusta, ME (click here for a map)

For more information contact Food for Maine’s Future at 207-244-0908 or foodformainesfuture207@gmail.com.

www.SavingSeeds.wordpress.com

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Can you help? Email Food for Maine’s Future today and be the first to get your town or city listed!

You Wanted to Be a Farmer: A Discussion of Scale, a new documentary by No Umbrella Media and the Sap Pail in association with Food for Maine’s Future, profiles Dan and Judy Brown of Gravelwood Farm in Blue Hill, Maine, and the issues surrounding the lawsuit filed against them by the State of Maine and Maine Department of Agriculture. The film features “inside-the-barn” interviews with Dan and Judy as well as conversations with their farm patrons. Topics range from the importance of producing food locally to the control over food policy by corporate-influenced government regulatory agencies. You Wanted to Be a Farmer is a revealing bottom-up look at food policy that raises important questions about the need for scale-appropriate regulation for neighbors feeding neighbors.

Food for Maine’s Future will provide:
- DVD of the film
- Discussion questions (from our December 17, 2011 community forum in Brewer)
- Copies of Saving Seeds #12 (with a lot of background information on the Local Food & Community Self-Governance Ordinance and the State of Maine lawsuit against farmer Dan Brown)
- A poster template where you can fill in the time and location

You provide:
- A location
- Placement of local press announcements (a sample press release will be included)
- A facilitor for discussion, if desired

An open conference call will be held on Tuesday, March 27 at 4:00pm for more information about the film and why it’s important to spread the word.

Conference call number: 218-632-0550
Passcode: 894502#

To sign up for a showing of You Wanted to Be a Farmer on April 17 please contact Food for Maine’s Future at 207-244-0908 or by emailing foodformainesfuture207@gmail.com.

Day Four was a celebration of  International Women’s Day, a global day of honoring honoring women; celebration and recognition of women’s rights and equality in participating in social, cultural, and economic lives of their countries.  A movement with roots in the suffragette movement and exemplified by the Bread and Roses strike of 1912.  In conjunction with the fast, this day was dedicated to honoring mothers, grandmothers, and daughters working in the fields, and other women who, throughout history, have fought for the rights of farmworkers.

There were few dry eyes as Nely Rodreiguez spoke of the pain mothers suffered, waking their children at dawn to be cared for by others as they went off to find dayhaul labor and work 12 hour days, picking vegetables and suffering indignities in the fields. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2RlXk3W5BuA

The eve of day six, the fast will be broken. The week has seen an increase of support from college students, community members and clergy. There has  been a change in the employees leaving work at Publix as they smile and wave at the fast participants. News has spread that Kerry Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Ethel Kennedy, and Latin artist Jose Jose will be joining the breaking of the fast in the 3 mile procession to Publix Headquarters at noon.

In the past, managers of Publix have come out and talked with a small delegation of participants. This time has been

Your thoughts and prayers for all participants have been greatly appreciated. The week has held  candlelight vigils, speeches, songs, presentations and sharing of emotions.  A deep connection has been formed, born of the shared dedication of sacrificing for what is right.  ”I go hungry today so my children will eat tomorrow”.

There is a realization that the last day of the fast will coincide with the 40th anniversary of Cesar Chevez and Robert Kennedy breaking fast at the end of Chevez’ fast to re-commit to a non-violence movement for social change.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

In peace and solidarity,
Bob

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers are continuing their fight for “a penny a pound”. Most recently, Trader Joe’s joined other company’s such as Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Burker King and Subway in signing a Fair Food Agreement with the workers. Publix continues to hold out claiming they should not be paying the wages of employees of other companies. They say they would pay the extra penny if it is included in the fair market price they pay to their suppliers and that this is a labor dispute; they have a long history of not participating in such disputes.

“Not only does the Fair Food program not require what Publix is claiming, it does not allow it,” Reyes said. “The fair food premium works like a fair trade premium does. And Publix pays and promotes that on every bag of its Greenwise Fair Trade Coffee. Tomato retail buyers pay a small premium to the grower on every pound of tomatoes they buy through the Fair Food program. The growers then distribute that money to their workers through their regular payroll as a line item on each worker’s paycheck.

“Publix says they would pay the fair food premium if the growers would only ‘put it in the price.’ Well, they should consider their bluff called. The growers will put the premium in the price for any retailer who wants that, and we would sign a fair food agreement today with Publix stating they can pay that way if that is what they want.”

Immigrant workers are an essential part of our economy. They supply labor in areas where no one else is willing to work. They have no rights to medical insurance, overtime pay, vacations, or rights to organize. They are frequently exploited in areas besides working in the fields and frequently come here for reasons beyond their control. These workers find themselves deprived of legal status, community, and the ability to become self-sufficient.

Food for Maine’s Future has the mission of building a just, secure, and democratic food system for all. We are dedicated to assisting the efforts of organizations such as CIW, and Migrant Justice who work to engage communication with communities and organize migrant farmworkers. A component of Saving Seeds Farm in Sedgwick, Maine is developing programs that will assist in meeting the needs of migrant workers – giving voice to those who have none.

Share your comments of support here throughout the week and Bob will see that they are shared with “Fast for Fair Food” participants. Check in on our FB page for updates! 

Food for Maine’s Future is pleased to announce the release of You Wanted to Be a Farmer: A Discussion of Scale, a new documentary by No Umbrella Media and the Sap Pail profiling Dan and Judy Brown of Gravelwood Farm in Blue Hill, Maine, and the issues surrounding the lawsuit filed against them by the State of Maine and Maine Department of Agriculture. The film features “inside-the-barn” interviews with Dan and Judy as well as conversations with their farm patrons. Topics range from the importance of producing food locally to the control over food policy by corporate-influenced government regulatory agencies. You Wanted to Be a Farmer is a revealing bottom-up look at food policy that raises important questions about the need for scale-appropriate regulation for neighbors feeding neighbors.

Watch You Wanted to Be a Farmer: A Discussion of Scale

Food for Maine’s Future needs your help spreading the word about this important film. Here’s how you can help:

1. Share the video with your friends, colleagues, and elected officials.

2. Host a showing where you live and have a discussion about what scale-appropriate regulations mean to your community. Last December, Food for Maine’s Future hosted a community forum at the Solidarity Center in Brewer to discuss the Local Food & Community Self-Governance Ordinance passed in five Maine towns and issues affecting small-scale food producers. A copy of the film and discussion outline and notes from the community forum in Brewer are available by contacting Bob St.Peter by email or at 207-244-0908.

3. Help Food for Maine’s Future get the film on public access television and other media outlets. Click here for a list of public access stations in Maine and around the U.S. The best approach is to call station managers, explain what the film is and why it might affect their town/community, and tell them that we have paid the download cost for them. Then contact Food for Maine’s Future and let us know the station and the dates and times the film will be aired.

4. Make a financial contribution so we can produce hard copies of the DVD to distribute around Maine. Small donations of $10 or more will go a long way towards getting You Wanted to Be a Farmer in the hands of people not on-line. For $100 Food for Maine’s Future can provide you with 50 copies for distribution in your community. Donations can be made through Food for Maine’s Future’s website or by contacting Lillian Lake by email or at 207-557-5196.

Upcoming Showings

BCTV 2, Belfast, Maine
Friday March 2, 3pm and 7 pm
Saturday March 3, 3pm
Monday March 5, 3pm
Wednesday March 7, 3pm
Friday March 9, 3pm
Saturday March 10 3:30pm and 7:30pm

P.S. Take a minute to sign the petition asking Maine Governor Paul LePage to drop the state’s lawsuit against Dan and Judy Brown. Over 1,800 people from around the world have signed on in support. You can join us by visiting http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-lepage-drop-the-lawsuit-against-farmer-dan-brown.

–

Food for Maine’s Future/Saving Seeds Farm
PO Box 51
Sedgwick, Maine 04676
207-244-0908
www.SavingSeeds.wordpress.com
Building a just, secure, sustainable, and democratic food system to the benefit of Maine’s farmers, fisheries, communities, and environment.

Follow us on Facebook here.

“Love Your Farmer” Benefit Pig Roast

For updates and background information on the We Are All Farmer Brown effort read Saving Seeds #12 at www.SavingSeeds.wordpress.com. (Click newspaper image on right.)

More information can be found at:

www.facebook.com/WeAreFarmerBrown

If you haven’t already signed the petition to Gov. LePage calling for the State of Maine to drop its lawsuit against Blue Hill Farmer Dan Brown you can sign it below or at www.localfoodlocalrules.org.

Thanks for the support!

Food for Maine’s Future

Sign Food for Maine’s Future’s petition here

Help Food for Maine’s Future deliver the petition to the Governor at 11am Thursday, January 12 at the State House in Augusta!

January 3, 2012

Governor Paul LePage
Office of the Governor
1 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0001
governor@maine.gov
(207) 287-3531

Dear Gov. Paul LePage,

We, the undersigned, call on you and your administration to withdraw the lawsuit against Blue Hill farmer Dan Brown of Gravelwood Farm. Recent rule changes by the Maine Department of Agriculture – including poultry processing and raw milk sales – are making criminals out of hard-working Mainers who are growing and processing food to share in their communities. Now the Department of Agriculture and State of Maine are suing a man milking one cow and selling jams, pickles, and other prepared foods from his farmhouse kitchen. If successfully pursued, this lawsuit will have a chilling effect on Maine’s growing local food movement and the promise of real economic development in our rural communities. Shouldn’t Maine’s small-scale, diversified farms and cottage businesses have the same opportunities generations before us had, without the threat of lawsuits or armed raids as we are witnessing around the U.S.?

In addition:

*Dan Brown’s farmstand sales for which he is being sued are all legal under the Local Food & Community Self-Governance Ordinance passed nearly unanimously at Blue Hill’s town meeting April 4, 2011. Five towns in Maine have passed this and similar ordinances, inspiring others in Vermont, Arizona, California, and Utah to adopt ordinances and resolutions that encourage “local rules for local food”. Once again Maine is leading the nation, finding creative solutions to complex problems. Yet rather than being celebrated, our five pioneering Maine towns are being treated as though the Ordinances do not exist. Through this lawsuit the State of Maine is attempting to undermine our time-honored town meeting process and the Maine Constitution Article IV Part Third Section 21 by usurping local decision-making and direct democracy.

*By seeking an injunction to stop Dan Brown from selling milk and milk products from his farm without a license, the Department of Agriculture is holding him to a different standard than licensed dairy producers in Maine. According to Hal Prince, director of Quality Assurance and Regulations, the State had to act because Dan’s milk posed “a significant health risk to consumers”, citing test results from three different dairy products taken from Gravelwood Farm’s farmstand on July 26, 2011. Yet, had Dan held a license he would have had to have three bad tests before the Department of Agriculture would take such drastic action as to seek an injunction. We also have concerns about the test results which reveal the samples from July 26 were not taken by a dairy inspector and did not reach the laboratory until the following morning. There exists no temperature log that would have regularly recorded the temperatures during the nearly 20 hours the milk was in transit. The samples were also taken without Dan’s knowledge.

*Long-time customers of Gravelwood Farm have gone on record to say the milk and milk products from the farm are high-quality and have asked for the lawsuit to be dropped. In July when the samples were taken, four families, all with young children, were happily enjoying milk, butter, and cheese from Gravelwood Farm. To Dan’s knowledge no one has been sickened by his dairy products or any of the other foods offered for sale at the farmstand in his five years of operation. Contrast this with the recent Hannaford ground beef recall, where four Mainers were sickened by salmonella-tainted beef. Nearly three weeks later, we still do not know where the beef came from or if the problems that led to the contamination have been corrected. Despite the USDA claiming Hannaford’s “limited records” have hindered the investigation, the company has faced no recourse from the State of Maine for their part in the distribution of this ground beef. Nor is there any indication they will, aside from the costs associated with the recall. The State of Maine’s decision to prosecute Dan Brown is one example of a long-standing bias against small producers who are not making people sick, and in favor of big agribusiness companies who are. Small-scale farmers feeding their neighbors and communities deserve more than to be treated like criminals and second-class citizens.

During a 2008 candidates forum in Brooksville you told the crowd assembled that you would not tolerate federal agencies shutting down or raiding Maine farms. Our organization and our members have been told repeatedly that the hands of the Maine Department of Agriculture are tied when it comes to creating scale-appropriate regulation, and that should Maine do so we would be at risk of losing federal funding or having our state meat inspection program shut down by the USDA. We have been told that Maine has a good raw milk program and we must not anger the FDA, whose stated goal is the elimination of all raw milk consumption. Shouldn’t your campaign promise to protect Maine farmers also apply to our state agencies working at the behest of the FDA and USDA to do exactly what you said would not happen?

We strongly urge you to side with small farmers, their willing patrons, and the Maine Constitution. Drop the lawsuit against Dan Brown and respect the authority of the Local Food & Community Self-Governance Ordinance.

Sincerely,

Food for Maine’s Future

Why is the State of Maine suing a man milking one cow? Read the latest issue of Saving Seeds and our special section “We Are Farmer Brown” to gain important insights into the on-going escalation against community food sovereignty.