Food and Farms Coalition Meeting

I went today to a packed meeting for the Food and Farms Coalition, which is being organized by a group of Bloomington area nonprofits and activists. Around 60-70 people filled every pew and chair in the Sacred Heart Church sanctuary. The conversation began with a discussion of food justice in general and soon narrowed to a specific goal: get Democratic US Senator Joe Donnelly to support small farms and programs for the poor like SNAP in the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill vote. Donnelly is in a tightly contested reelection effort and has expressed some support for big industrial agriculture subsidies, while refraining from expressing support for the programs that serve the needs of small farmers and other individuals.

After some general speechifying about food and organizing, those in the room broke into six smaller groups to discuss their values and ideas about food and what food systems they hoped to see. Once the separate groups reconvened and each group presented their discussion summaries. There was remarkable consistency of focus on relationships, dignity, freedom and autonomy, and related ideas.

Thereafter the group broke again, this time into three groups, self-assigned, each with a different part of the task of getting Senator Donnelly to attend a citizen-run meeting regarding the 2018 Farm Bill. Various plans and commitments were made.

The next meeting is January 30, 2018, at 6:30pm at the Monroe County Public Library. Those interested in helping with food justice are invited to attend.