Video created by Lauren Neville.
Rural Coalition Winter Forum according to Leah
-Leah Germer, NRSD '15
On December 5th and 6th 2013, American University’s (AU) School of International Service hosted the Rural Coalition’s Annual Winter Forum. The Rural Coalition, which is the North American Branch of the international peasant movement “La Via Campesina,” defines itself as a national organization formed “to help shape and influence public policies and processes affecting rural America.” The annual Winter Forums serve both to engage current members and welcome new ones, as well as to produce “action items” for members to take back to their communities. AU Chaplain Reverend Joe Eldridge opened the Forum with a welcome address, pointing out that while President Obama would speak on AU’s campus later that same day, the highest honor for the University continues to be hosting groups like the Rural Coalition. Read more...
gep blog on 2013 farm bill & winter forum
-Garrett Graddy-Lovelace, Associate Professor, American University
This week, AU’s School of International Service and Global Environmental Politics program are hosting a two-day forum on the US Farm Bill—from the perspective of social and ecological justice.
Every five to seven years since the Dust Bowl the US Congress has approved a massive piece of legislation short-handed as ‘the Farm Bill.’ This omnibus, thousand-page law authorizes a range of programs that regulate and support US agricultural production and food consumption, including: subsidies for staple commodities, specialty crops and organic certification; soil conservation; forest management; nutrition assistance and food aid; agricultural research; farmers markets; food trade; and rural economic development—among many other related issues. Read more...
Civil rights and the farm bill: The rural coalition's winter forum
-Adam Diamond, Associate Professor, American University
On December 5-6, 2013, AU’s School of International Service and Global Environmental Politics Program hosted the Rural Coalition’s annual Winter Forum. Rural Coalition is a grassroots alliance of farmers, farm-workers, indigenous groups, and immigrants working to bring justice and equity to food and farm policy. During this exciting event multiple panels and workshops were held on topics such as popular agricultural research, resources for new farmers, healthcare and wellness, and achieving equity in government programs. Attendees heard from a multitude of farmers, ranchers, government officials, activists, and academics. Throughout the two days a list of action items, issues, strategies, and participant action research topics stemming from these discussions was compiled to both inform Rural Coalition planning and strategizing, and create a resource for students, faculty and others to critically engage with farm bill policy through research. Read more...