SHARE:  
Mobilizing family farmers, fishers, and ranchers for fair prices, vibrant communities, and healthy foods free of corporate domination.

July Newsletter

News From the Field

Members and staff at the opening community dinner at the 2023 Summer Gathering.

NFFC Summer Gathering in Berea, Kentucky

NFFC staff, board members, farmers and member representatives are all looking forward to our 2024 Summer Gathering! Hosted by our newest member, the Kentucky Black Farmers Association, we'll meet in Berea, Kentucky, August 6 through 8. This year's retreat is especially exciting as we revisit our 2019 Strategic Plan to refine and develop new goals and strategies for NFFC over the next five years. It's also a time for our members to connect, brainstorm, and build energy for next steps. Make sure to keep an eye out for updates and photos after the retreat!

Photo by Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.

Our Members are Gathering, Too!

It's conference season, and NFFC members across the country are hosting their annual events! Check out these events coming soon:


August 5 and 6, in San Marcos, TX: Southern Family Farmers & Food Systems Conference hosted by Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance - the largest small farm event in Texas! The event celebrates small farms and local food with farmer-driven information that will energize and inspire.


August 15-17, in Birmingham and Epes, AL: Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund will host their Estelle Weatherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony and 57th Annual Meeting celebrating their work and progress.


August 17, in Seattle, WA: Community Alliance for Global Justice's 18th annual Supporting Local Economies Everywhere (SLEE) picnic, celebrating the grassroots movements resisting corporate control of the food system! 


September 30-October 1 in Rocky Mount, NC: Rural Advancement Foundation International's Come to the Table Conference convening persons of faith, farmers, and community leaders to come together around issues of food access in their communities. This year's theme is "Food, Land & Sacred Stories."

USDA's Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) Recommendations Now OPEN for Comment!


The USDA released their long-awaited proposal to amend the Federal Milk Marketing Orders on July 1. Among amendments to price formulas for five different classes of milk products, the USDA has also recommended a record-high increase to make allowances, a portion of farmer milk checks given to processors to cover their costs. About 70% of all milk in the US is marketed through FMMOs, making these recommendations crucially vital to the livelihoods of dairy farmers and communities across the US.


Lynne McBride, Director of NFFC member California Dairy Campaign, offered her opinion for the Turlock Journal, saying there was not enough benefit “to merit opening up this whole process and seeing these unprecedented increases in the make allowance." NFFC also plans to release an opinon about these recommendations soon.


The USDA is accepting public comments for these changes in the Federal Register with a deadline of September 13, 2024. Not sure where to start? Check out this helpful guide to public comments by the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative!

USAID commodity distribution in Haiti. Photo by USAID.

NFFC Endorses the Streamlining International Food Assistance Act


Senators Peter Welch and Bernie Sanders introduced The Streamlining International Food Assistance Act of 2024 to provide greater flexibility within the Food for Peace (FFP) program of the US Agency for Aid and Development (USAID). The FFP program sends aid in the form of US-grown food to alleviate hunger abroad, and current regulation requires the FFP program to use most of its resource on these food donations. This Act would allow FFP to utilize additional international food assistance strategies such as providing funding to acquire locally produced food.

News From Our Members

Support Vermont Farmers After Recent Flooding


Climate change is fueling catastrophic flooding in Vermont that is once again greatly affecting local farmers and many communities in the state. NOFA-VT has shared their Farmer Emergency Fund and opportunities to support this fund. Rural Vermont has a flood support page dedicated to funding, volunteer, and other resource opportunities. Please stand in solidarity with Vermont farmers by sharing these resources, and consider contributing to these emergency funds!

Graphic by NOFA-VT.

Graphic by Agrarian Trust.

Agrarian Trust is hiring for FOUR positions!


Looking for work? Agrarian Trust is now accepting applications for four Management positions in Communications, Development, the Commons Program and the Commons Network. These positions are fully remote, and the application deadline for all openings is August 9.

 Give now to ensure farmers can keep feeding us!

Help us push back against corporate domination in our food system! Your gift fuels the fight for policies that put farmers, family farming, and healthy land ahead of corporate profits.

Support NFFC Today!
National Family Farm Coalition
110 Maryland Ave NE #307
Washington, DC 20002

Follow Us on Social Media!

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Web