Contact: Siena Chrisman, (917) 821-9631, siena@nffc.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 16, 2019

A letter denouncing the United States delegation to the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS) for repeated obstruction on agroecology was delivered in advance of the World Food Day in Rome. Iowa farmer Patti Naylor, member of the National Family Farm Coalition, presented the letter to US Ambassador Kip Tom, the US government's representative during the CFS annual meeting. IATP's Shiney Varghese along with several other U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance (USFSA) members were a part of the delegation that delivered the letter. The letter was signed by nearly 50 family farmer, social justice and rural advocacy organizations.

The letter asserts that in this moment of worldwide climate and economic crises, scientifically-sound, ecologically-based farming practices must be prioritized, especially as agribusiness corporations have consolidated access to resources, devastating rural and agricultural communities.

The letter states, in part:

Backed by researchers and policy makers, agroecology offers a critical social, environmental, and political process for rural communities and farmers to be leaders in transitioning agriculture to work with nature, support fair and decent rural livelihoods, and ensure the right to healthy food and nutrition for all. …

However, we know that the US government often blocks pro-family farmer and pro-rural community policy discussion at the UN. Rather than representing America’s family farmer and rural worker interests in a public forum, the US government has too often attempted to keep the status quo in American agriculture that currently only benefits corporate interests. We will not accept these actions from our government moving forward.

The letter demands that the signatories and other stakeholders be consulted on US positions at the CFS, including at upcoming meetings with North American stakeholders next month.

Read the full text of the letter.

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