FCS Diversity and Inclusion - PROPOSED RULE - MARCH 2011 Dear Mr. Van Meter,
I am writing to you to ask you to diversify the Farm Credit System (FCS) portfolio and support initiatives that strengthen our small, family farms and local and regional food sovereignty. As we need healthy and sustainable water-sheds, so do we need similar food-sheds, and that will depend on local and regional food producers.
I ask that you make a commitment to have FCS institutions reach out to more local and regional farmers and that they add such folks to their board to help govern and make good decisions. I also ask that FCS institutions create a comprehensive plan to support the business services needed by local and regional producers -- so that they can be stronger and more effective in their work.
We really need to move towards policies and programs which serve the whole, not the few. We need to generate a food system that is healthy for the producers, the workers, the consumers, and the Earth. We appreciate everything you can do to move our food system to greater justice and diversity.
Thank you for you consideration. Best wishes, Shilpa Jain Education and Outreach Coordinator Other Worlds <www.otherworldsarepossible.org>
Other Worlds www.otherworldsarepossible.org King St Berkeley, CA 94703