Written by Nicole Oveisi, Fair Farms Intern John Manirakiza is a farmer in Beltsville, Maryland who grows African ethnic crops, also known as heritage or specialty crops, at Firebird Research Farm at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). John first gained interest in this type of production in 2009 when he spent the …
Written by Nicole Oveisi, Fair Farms Intern Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has seen disruptions in the food supply across the country. With outbreaks in factories and meatpacking plants, and restaurant and big-box grocery store closures, cracks in the food system have been revealed. While uncertainty remains around how our food supply will …
The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on the precarious nature of industrial agriculture and how the few companies dominating this sector often leave out contract farmers and essential workers at all levels of the supply chain. A resilient, equitable local and regional food system is more important than ever. This crisis offers us an …
Agriculture is in a unique position to climate change. Our current agricultural system produces 9% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest report from 2017. Globally, this sector alone produces almost a quarter of emissions. While our farming system contributes to our changing climate, it also has the …
Written by Alexis Baden-Mayer, Organic Consumers Association The Green New Deal is the first Congressional proposal to tackle climate change that includes strategies related to food and farming. The Green New Deal would “. . . secure for all people of the United States for generations to come: clean air and water; climate and community resiliency; healthy food; …
Phew, we made it! Maryland’s 2018 legislative session is officially complete, so Fair Farms is here to update you on what we were able to accomplish together, a couple setbacks, and our hopes for next year. While there were a host of bills on the docket related to food and farming, Fair Farms prioritized four. …