Yesterday my family and I spent the day in Washington for the Farm Food Voices event put on by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA.com).  It was a day spent informing our law and policy makers on Capitol Hill, where it really counts.

We were an army of mothers, fathers, children, husbands, wives, farmers, businessmen, consumers, bloggers, friends, voters.  Private citizens all concerned with three things: the availability of real food, safe food (of our own choosing);  the viability of the family farm; and the protection of the private relationship between a farmer and his friends.

While there is much to be said about the health benefits of real food, what we all wanted our governing officials to hear is that these things are  constantly under attack with current agriculture policy, and can potentially become nonexistent if the current Food Safety Bill is made into law.  This is not acceptable!

We are, by the way, not “public”.  We are private, sovereign citizens functioning on an individual basis.  And our farmers are not part of corporate “farming”, but also private citizens.  The Food Safety Bill may be important for the many factory “farms” and large food production facilities fouling our countryside, but it has no place on a well run, small farm-or in my kitchen!  And I, as a private citizen, do not need the government telling me what I can and can not put on my family’s table, nor from whom I purchase that food.  Protect the public from the factory farmed, de-vitalized processed “food”, but not the private citizen from his local farmer!

I do hope that our voices were heard, and I believe they were at least to some degree.  Several were able to gain an ear with the Under-Secretary of Agriculture, Rajiv Shah.  The USDA has already heard an earful over the course of its attempted implementation of the NAIS.  Was Mr. Shah impressed?  Will Secretary Vilsack listen?  This remains to be seen, but we do know that at the USDA, as in other government agencies, the ones with the money have most of the influence.  Small farmers and the average American family do not seem to have the same effect.

Kevin, myself, Morey, Liz & Joel

Following our day of lobbying we were privileged to hear Dr. Ron Paul address the crowd who gathered for the reception which followed the day of lobbying.  Wow!  It is always great to hear what this wise and seasoned man has to say!  More speakers followed, such as Doreen Hannes(www.libertynewsradio.com/wire/hosts/hannes.php),  David Gumpert (thecompletepatient.com), Joan Veon (www.womensgroup.org/) and Spike Gjerde (/www.woodberrykitchen.com/).  The reception was overseen by Joel Salatin (www.polyfacefarms.com), always a popular host and speaker. While the public address system seemed to have its problems, many in the large crowd simply circled around the speakers, hovering on every word spoken!

And the food for the reception? The food was spectacular!  Several regional producers, farmers, and restaurateurs combined forces to put forth masterpieces of the culinary arts!  I particularly enjoyed the local Stachowski Chacuterie products-fantastic! (www.stachowskibrand.com), and the glorious clam chowder & buffalo chili which were created in the Woodberry Kitchen (www.woodberrykitchen.com).  Amish farmer Dan Allgyer provided wonderful homemade, raw-cream ice cream.  (Dan, by the way, was recently threatened by the FDA with an inspection of his farm; he stood up to them and sent them packing!).  All this good food was washed down with what else-raw milk!  The milk jugs ran empty by the end, but the coffee pots were still full.  I guess that means that what the citizens really want is a shot of delicious, nutritious raw milk, not caffeine!  After all, who needs caffeine when real food makes you feel sooo good?!

At the conclusion of the day I believe we all felt it was time well spent.  We left re-energized, more committed than ever, and with a feeling of hope.  Hope that things can and will change- if only we persevere!  We will not give up the fight; we will press forward!  Why?  Because real food matters! It matters to me, to you, to your local farmer, to your community, and to this nation.  Only with access to nutritious, clean, whole foods can this nation overcome its multitude of ills; from obesity to cancer, ADD to depression.  But it is up to all of us to get this message out and we must be motivated enough to make a difference in our communities and our nation.  Don’t let “them” take your right to health away; stand up and let your voice be heard!

Let me not leave this post without offering my compliments and gratitude for Liz Reitzig and the folks at NICFA who worked so hard to put this event together.  It was a job well done!