FCS Diversity and Inclusion - PROPOSED RULE - MARCH 2011 Dear Mr. Van Meter,
There are so many reasons to develop a plan for conducting outreach to local and regional food producers and a commitment to adding local and regional food producers to the FCS board.
First off, more local family farms mean less threatened by massive food shortages stemming from extreme weather in one region or another. Secondly, smaller farms mean more jobs. Third, small farmers tend to grow many different crops. This is mostly because experience has taught them that diversity boosts production since pests and diseases are less of a problem.
Finally, farm work is wholesome healthy outdoor exercise that not only strengthens the body, but lowers the cost of healthcare and helps keep families together.
Somewhere along the road, in trying to streamline and speed up production to increase profits, America took a wrong turn, and we drove our small family farms out of business. Please help us put things right. We need them now more than ever.