Tell Your Legislators to Support Farmers Markets in 2018 Farm Bill

      Posted On: March 29, 2018

Now is the time!

As the senate begins writing their draft of the farm bill, we are learning through our contacts on Capitol Hill that legislators need to hear more from the farmers market community. Let’s get on it!

Please take a few moments to call or email your Congressional Representative and Senators to tell them that farmers markets are vital to America’s farm and food systems, and the upcoming farm bill should support them. Click here to find the contact information for your representatives, and feel free to use the sample script below for either a phone call or email. We also encourage you to share this call to action with your friends, family, and networks in an effort to boost our impact.

Should you need additional assistance with this or other policy advocacy, FMC is at your service. Members can request a Strategy Session with FMC Policy Staff by filling out this form, or consult FMC’s Advocacy Toolkit and resources.

Thank you for helping us fight for policy that supports America’s family farms and farmers markets. Together, we can make a difference!

Ben Feldman, FMC Policy Specialist
ben@farmersmarketcoalition.org

SAMPLE SCRIPT:

Dear Senator/Congressman/Congresswoman _______,

(IDENTIFY YOURSELF, YOUR LOCATION, AND YOUR CONNECTIONS TO FARMERS MARKETS. FOR EXAMPLE: “My name is Johnny Appleseed. I’m a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana and I run 3 farmers markets in the district.”)

As the senate begins deliberations on the farm bill continue, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that farmers markets are a critical source of revenue for independent American farmers that create jobs in rural America, and provide consumers with the freshest, healthiest food around. Sales by farmers selling at farmers markets have surpassed $700 million annually and continue to grow.

In order to maintain this growth and for markets to continue to serve the farmers and consumers who rely on them, key federal programs must continue in the next farm bill. Programs like the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Program are vital to farmers markets and we would respectfully ask that you speak to committee staff in support of increased funding for these programs.

Thank you for your time,

[Your name]