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Fall 2003 Newsletter
Message
from the Steering Committee
This newsletter comes to you at an exciting time for the CFJC.
After a year of meeting, researching and planning we are now
preparing to launch our first advocacy and education campaign
in 2004. As we move forward we are looking to continue connecting
across movements and sectors in order to address the many food
and justice issues that affect Californians, and to advance
the community food security movement in the state.
In September CFJC held three Campaign Building and Strategy
Sessions across the state. Thank you to the more than 100 food
and justice advocates who came to those meetings. Each meeting
was highlighted by presentations from local organizations working
to improve food security in the host community and presentations
from local political figures and their representatives; including
Senator Alarcôn, and Assembly members Sarah Reyes and Darrell
Steinberg.
The priorities identified by coalition members at these meetings
will guide our coalition's work in 2004. In this newsletter
you will find more news on up coming campaigns, updates CFJC
news and activities, and updates on important food security
news that effects CA.
Sincerely,
CFJC Steering Committee Members
In this Newsletter
- Become
a member of the CFJC
- CFJC
Education and Policy Campaign Plans
- Call
for Steering Committee Nominations
- Policy
Update & Action Alert!
- Update
on Future of UC SAREP
- What
is the MEATRIX?
- Support
UFCW Supermarket Strike
- LA Community
Garden Update
1.
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CFJC
If you have not yet returned your pledge and become a member of
the CFJC we invite you to do so Today! You can download
the pledge. You can also contact heather@foodsecurity.org
to request a copy by mail.
On the CFJC mailing list? Did you get this message forwarded
to you? Through a list-serv? Not sure if you're on the CFJC mailing
list? Send a request to be added to heather@foodsecurity.org.
California Food and Justice Coalition Website The CFJC
web-site is frequently being updated with coalition documents
and news.
2. CFJC EDUCATION AND POLICY CAMPAIGN PLANS
The California Food and Justice Coalition (CFJC) policy platform
released in July 2003 includes a set of policy recommendations
aimed at addressing food insecurity, diet-related diseases, and
failing California farms. The September outreach sessions were
held to identify members' priorities within this platform. From
members recommendations the CFJC steering committee has identified
the following issues to focus on in 2004.
Farm to School:
Finding ways to increase the connection between farms and schools,
and other public institutions, in a way that is sustainable was
a priority for almost all CFJC members who attended the September
meetings. Therefore the CFJC steering committee has selected Farm
to School as a lead campaign issue for the coming year. A working
group is now being formed to direct this policy campaign for the
coming year. If you are interested in being a part of the Farm
to School working group please email heather@foodsecurity.org.
The group will be meeting in December to determine what specific
policy options we will pursue. The focus of this campaign will
be to pursue winnable policy and regulatory changes that increase
the sustainability of existing and emerging farm to school projects.
State Food Policy Council:
Among CJFC members there remain many questions around a state
food policy council - what issues would it focus on, how would
it be formed, how would grassroots power be preserved, where would
funding coming from, etc. With all of these questions the potential
for a state food policy to be a future launching point for statewide
food policy change and the ability of a council to increase the
leveraging of federal funds for California was particularly noted.
There are a number of organizations and coalitions in the state
that include some form of a state food policy council among their
policy priorities. In the next year CFJC will focus on bringing
interested parties together to learn more about the benefits of
a state food policy council, educating policy makers, and developing
a grassroots plan for taking action on this issue. If you are
interested in working on this issue please email heather@foodsecurity.org.
Education and Outreach around EBT and FMNP:
Coalition members expressed great concern for these two programs
and the CFJC will be looking at ways to coordinate outreach and
education around the use of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
cards at farmers' markets and funding for the Farmers' Market
Nutrition Programs ("coupons" for WIC recipients and for seniors).
In both areas there is a need to improve the dissemination of
information about these programs and support for communities struggling
to get the full benefits of these programs. The CFJC will look
to play a role in expanding education and outreach about these
programs and opportunities to improve them, among communities
and their grassroots organizations. If you are interested in helping
to coordinate efforts around these issues please email heather@foodsecurity.org.
A summary report from the September "Campaign Building and Strategies
Sessions" along with participants lists can be found on the CFJC
website.
3. CALL FOR STEERING COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS
There are currently three empty seats on the Steering Committee
of the California Food and Justice Coalition. The Steering Committee
was formed in the fall of 2002 and in the last year has published
a policy platform for the coalition and is currently working to
develop statewide food security issue campaigns. CFJC members
are encouraged to submit recommendations for Steering Committee
candidates to by December 15, 2003.
Candidates will receive a packet of materials that includes an
overview of the Coalition, its vision and mission statements,
the policy platform, and a summary of qualifications and responsibilities.
A member of the Nominating Committee will follow up with an informal
interview to ask and answer questions. Potential candidates will
be recommended to the full steering committee for consideration,
and candidates will be invited to attend a steering committee
meeting. Annually, a list of Steering Committee members will be
circulated to the Coalition membership.
Role of the Steering Committee: The Steering Committee
provides leadership, guidance and direction to the California
Food and Justice Coalition and is the coordinating body to unify
Coalition members. In cooperation with Coalition staff, the Steering
Committee provides input into communications, media work, campaign
development and implementation, conference organizing, and fundraising.
Eligibility: Individuals sponsoring organization must be
willing to become a member of the California Food and Justice
Coalition by signing on to the Coalition's pledge.
Criteria: The CFJC Steering Committee is committed to electing
members and hiring staff that is reflective of our diverse constituency.
People with experience in low-income communities, communities
of color, or located in Northern California, Central Valley and
San Diego regions are strongly encouraged to apply.
Qualifications: We are looking for individuals with a diversity
of experience, including prior board service, coalition building,
advocacy, organizational governance, fundraising, media outreach,
community organizing.
Responsibilities/Expectations: It's envisioned that the
steering committee will meet as often as monthly. Up to four in-person
meetings a year will be scheduled with the balance conducted via
telephone conference call. Organizations are asked to cover all
travel costs associated with serving on the Steering Committee.
Committee members are encouraged to also sit on sub committees
and working groups that form within the Coalition. Time commitments
will vary but probably range from 6-15 hours per month per individual.
Terms: Yet to be determined but will likely be staggered
in 1-3 year slots.
Nominations should include your name, the nominee's name, organizational
affiliation, phone number and email. Feel free to provide any
other information you think would be useful to the Nominating
Committee. Nominations should be submitted to: Heather Fenney,
P.O. Box 209, Venice, CA 90294, Phone: (310) 822.5410 Fax: (310)
822.1440, email: heather@foodsecurity.org
4. FARM TO CAFETERIA POLICY UPDATE & ACTION ALERT!
Child Nutrition Reauthorization Delayed - Farm to Cafeteria
Projects Act Continues to Gain Support - Co-Sponsors in Senate
and House Still Needed
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) have reintroduced
the Farm to Cafeteria section of Leahy's earlier Child Nutrition
Initiatives Act (S. 995) as its own bill. This new bill is S.
1755, and has the same title as the House bill sponsored by Representatives
Upton (R-MI) and Kind (D-WI), the Farm to Cafeteria Projects Act.
This bill is now open to co-sponsorship in the Senate. The
House bill had a great deal of bipartisan support and there is
now an opportunity to replicate this success in the Senate!
The Senate and House are both expected to address child nutrition
shortly after legislators return to DC in January. You have a
key role to play in the coming weeks while congress is adjourned
and legislators are in your home state. What YOU and Your organization
can do TODAY to support Farm to Cafeteria:
2) Call your Senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 1755, the
"Farm to Cafeteria Projects" Act. Call the Capitol Switchboard
at (202) 224-3121, and ask to speak to your Senator's office.
You can also find the phone number for Senators' local offices
in your phone book.
- When
you reach their office, ask for the staff person in charge
of child nutrition. Tell that staff person that you support
feeding kids locally-grown food in the school lunch program,
and ask that your Senator cosponsor S. 1755. If you receive
the staff person's voice mail, leave a detailed message and
ask for a follow-up call.
- You
can also ask to speak with the scheduler to make an appointment
with your Senator or a staff person in an office close to
you. While the dates of adjournment are not yet set, an early
call will get your foot in the door for an appointment. At
the meeting, tell about your experience with Farm to Cafeteria
or how it could benefit you and your state. Bring supporting
materials to share with your Senator (click
here to access our fact sheets.)
2) Submit
and Op ED about Farm to Cafeteria in your local newspaper. Success
stories and anecdotes about farm to school or farm to cafeteria
programs in your region's newspaper help us convince your representative
to support Farm to Cafeteria legislation, and at the same time,
increase community awareness about how local farms and local economies
can equal healthy school food. Click
here for a sample op-ed and tips for getting published in your
newsletter.
For more information call the CFSC Policy Office at 202-543-8602
or click here.
5. UPDATE ON FUTURE OF UC SAREP
Message from Sean L. Swezey, Director, UC SAREP:
A call from SAREP in mid-September asked individuals and organizations
to review a proposal of how Statewide Special Projects and Programs
along with statewide administrative functions will share in the
budget cut confronting the University of California Cooperative
Extension and Agricultural Experiment Station research funds.
With very little time allowed to respond, one hundred and seventy
four (174) responses were submitted, many expressing support for
SAREP and emphasizing the importance of its mission and activities.
After receiving this input, on October 3, 2003 ANR Vice President
Reg Gomes decided to withhold endorsing the proposal, which would
have eliminated SAREP and other valuable sustainable agriculture
programs. Instead, he asked Assistant Vice President Lanny Lund
to assemble a team to consider the suggestions received then revise
the proposal incorporating some of that input. A modified version
of the proposal will be made available for public comment and
discussion later this year prior to final decisions. Several listening
sessions are being planned for January and February to get public
input on this proposal. I encourage you to continue to provide
input into this process. Click
here for more details.
On October 8, ANR VP Gomes assigned a 33% permanent budget cut
to SAREP, reducing SAREP's state general fund-supported budget
by more than $200,000.
SAREP will continue to deliver research based information and
educational programs to support its Biologically Integrated Farming
Systems, Organic Initiative, and Community Development and Public
Policy programs. This cut is being absorbed through a combination
of reduced operating expenses, no competitive grants for 2003/2004,
and increased reliance on extramural funding. I am fortunate to
have a dedicated staff working to retain services while reducing
costs.
In the face of possible additional cuts in the future, and as
ANR moves forward on its reorganization plans, I will be working
to keep SAREP intact and to ensure that UC Research and Extension
programs continue to work toward the development of more sustainable
agriculture and food systems in the state.
I wish to thank all our friends and extension clients for their
many important expressions of support for SAREP during these difficult
economic times. I will keep you informed of any further developments.
e-mail: sarep@ucdavis.edu
Award Winning Web Site: http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu
6. WHAT IS THE MEATRIX?
Heard of the Meatrix yet? Watch this great flash movie on factory
farming at: http://www.themeatrix.com
Food irradiation is a key part of factory farming. By sterilizing
meat at the end of the process, food irradiation perpetuates and
even worsens the unsustainable, unsanitary and inhumane conditions
found on most factory farms.
The Meatrix is a two-minute flash animation that spoofs the popular
Matrix movies. But instead of Keanu Reaves, the Meatrix stars
a young pig, Leo, who lives on a pleasant family farm ... he thinks.
Leo is approached by a wise and mysterious cow, Moopheus, who
shows Leo the truth about modern farming -- the truth about the
Meatrix!
The film describes the problems with factory farming and offers
viewers a solution - the final page of the flash directs viewers
to the Eat Well Guide, a national online directory of sustainably-raised
meat, which is available at http://www.eatwellguide.org.
If you want to take action against food irradiation, visit http://www.foodirradiation.org.
If you like the Meatrix and/or the Eat Well Guide, we only ask
for one thing in return - that you send them on to all your friends!
7. SUPPORT UFCW SUPERMARKET STRIKE
From the Center for Food and Justice: Please consider signing
on in Support of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
Supermarket Strike...
From Southern California to St. Louis and West Virginia, nearly
90,000 supermarket workers are on strike or locked out from their
jobs in the grocery industry. The vision that we have for a just,
sustainable, and democratic food system includes a work force
that is treated with respect and paid a living wage with affordable
health care. Grocery workers are an important link in the food
system and we support their efforts in this struggle.
***Please consider signing on to the statement in support of
UFCW's efforts*** The Center for Food and Justice will be
forwarding the support statement and list of supporters to the
UFCW and possibly issuing a press release. If you would like to
be included as a supporter, please respond to Margaret Haase at
mhmasch@oxy.edu with the name of
your organization, city, and state.
Statement of Support:
The Center for Food and Justice expresses support for the United
Food and Commercial Workers in the current strike and lockout
in Southern California and other communities around the country.
We support the UFCW's efforts to create a food retail sector that
treats workers with dignity and respect; promotes healthy and
affordable food that is accessible to everyone; and promotes the
social and economic well-being of the communities it serves.
The strike raises several key critical issues related to building
a more just sustainable and democratic food system.
Dignity and respect for workers
Job stability, living wages and health care The issues at the
heart of the strike and lockout are the grocery corporations'
attempts to roll back health care benefits and impose a two-tier
wage structure that would deny new workers a living wage. In rejecting
these regressive proposals, UFCW members are protecting their
standards of living - and standing up for working families in
all walks of life who face, or may soon face, similar threats
to health and wage benefits.
Quality, Healthy, Affordable Food
The grocery chains' moves to slash worker benefits is a discouraging
sign that the companies are considering pursuing a low-road business
model that would harm workers, consumers, and communities. Some
call this approach the "Wal-Mart way." It is based on huge regional
stores, and low prices that have been pushed down by exploiting
workers and selling low-quality, standardized products. There
is little room for neighborhood markets or fresh, seasonal, and
local food in this approach.
If the nation's supermarkets follow Wal-Mart's lead, the chains
will offer more processed, packaged food items and continue to
close stores in low-income urban areas. Fortunately, there is
an alternative that would be better for workers, consumers, communities,
and may even help the stores' bottom line.
Supermarkets could gain important advantages if they challenged
the Wal-Mart approach by offering quality, local food. For example,
several supermarket stores have noted that when they have featured
fresh and local foods and increased the availability of produce
items, store sales have increased. Stocking more ethnic food items,
many also locally produced or processed, is another way to draw
shoppers in an increasingly diverse nation.
Support for local economy and community
Supermarkets gained customer loyalty when they were first established
in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s precisely because they had relationships
with local growers and producers, developed a stable work force,
and offered a single place to shop that served multiple community
needs. Recent supermarket trends of consolidation and cost savings
from its work force not only shift the chains towards a Wal-Mart
approach but set up a competitive battle that only Wal-Mart can
win and communities and workers and supermarkets alike will lose.
For years, the largest of the supermarket chains like Safeway
and Kroger have been seeking out bigger sized lots and closing
down stores in inner city communities as part of their own consolidation
into larger corporate entities. These actions eliminate their
local, neighborhood and community associations.
Treating a work force with respect, beginning with decent wages
and health benefits, can create an advantage. It is a truism of
the supermarket strike that part of the reason customers are not
crossing the picket lines is the relationships they have established
with long-term workers. This is one of the few ways that the big
stores still maintain a community feel.
An opportunity for grocery chains
Instead of going the way of Wal-Mart - depressing wages, sourcing
products from sweatshops, promoting cheap food that undermines
health, and homogenizing the shopping experience - grocery chains
should see the coming of Wal-Mart as an opportunity to highlight
their differences, and to maintain and grow their customer base
by providing an alternative to the Wal-Mart model. This alternative
stresses establishing local neighborhood relationships, connecting
with and serving these communities, and promoting high standards
of living for the families that live and work there.
Current Supporters:
Center for Food and Justice, Los Angeles, California
Community Food Security Coalition, Venice, California
Frances Moore Lappé (Hope's Edge and the Small Planet Fund), Cambridge,
Massachusetts
Lane County Food Coalition, Eugene, OR
Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Columbia, MO
Public Citizen's Energy and Environment Program, Washington DC
Urban Nutrition Initiative, Philadelphia, PA
World Hunger Year, New York, NY
8. LA COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE
The South Central Farmers have been organizing to save their 14
acre urban garden at 41st and Alameda in Los Angeles. 347 families
stand to loose their urban farming space when the garden is closed
at the end of the year.
If you are interested in supporting the urban farmers come tell
Councilwoman Jan Perry at the Environmental Quality & Waste Management
Committee Meeting: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 9:00 - 10:00
a.m. - 10th Floor City Hall, Room 1010 - 200 N. Spring Street
- Los Angeles, CA. 90012. For more information call: 213 892-0918
The urban farmers have also set up a list serv to help organize
those who want to save the garden. If you are interested in joining
please email tezotezo@yahoo.com.
•
• • • •
The California Food and Justice Coalition is a statewide membership
coalition committed to the basic human right to healthy food
while advancing social, agricultural and environmental justice.
We are partners of the national Community Food Security Coalition,
and collaborate with community-based efforts in California working
to create a socially just, ecologically and economically sustainable
food supply. We envision a California food system in which all
activities, from farm to table, are equitable, healthful, sustainable,
and community-driven.
California Food and Justice Coalition
c/o CFSC P.O. Box 209, Venice, CA 90294
310-822-5410, FAX 310-822-1440
http://www.foodsecurity.org/california
Heather@foodsecurity.org
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