Tyler Whitley

7 posts

Tyler works directly with contract livestock and poultry farmers as an advocate with a background in agricultural development and finance. He provides support and resources to individual farmers, organizes workshops, and works alongside our Lead Farm Advocate, Benny Bunting. Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Tyler worked in finance at a national bank providing mortgage refinancing. While pursuing a Master's degree in Public Health, he was drawn to the issues of food security and agricultural sustainability. Most recently, he returned to the U.S. from Haiti, where he worked with smallholder farmers to form farmer associations to address the community’s needs. Tyler holds a BS in Biology from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa and a MPH from Tulane University.

Returning Economic Vitality to Livestock and Poultry

On the eve of our first presidential debate of 2020, we want to highlight a letter RAFI-USA and others sent to both presidential candidates on the issue of fair competition in the livestock sector for family farmers and ranchers.

RAFI-USA Helps Lead NC Workers Week of Action

Over the past two weeks, RAFI-USA joined more than 120 labor, farm, faith, and civil rights organizations to call on North Carolina government officials to take strong action to protect food workers. Our social media hashtag, #ProtectNCWorkers, reached tens-of-thousands of people.

New Livestock and Poultry Competition Rules Published

The Federal Register published a rule set forth by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which intends to satisfy provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill, written to establish criteria for the Secretary of Agriculture to use in determining whether meat packers are giving undue preference or advantage to specific producers.

The Truth is Out. Again.

The RAFI-USA team received an anonymous letter from a farmer, regarding unfair poultry contracts that have plagued farms in North Georgia. According to the farmer’s account, many farm families have suffered at the hands of Tyson for years, and treatment of growers is getting worse.