For all press inquiries, including the use of images, please contact:
Beth Hauptle – Communications Manager, [email protected], 919.903.2525
Recent Press Releases
- RAFI-USA’s 2023 Farm Bill Priorities (5/31/2023)
- RAFI-USA Joins A Greener World in a Climate-Smart Partnership (3/28/2023)
- RAFI-USA TO ATTEND “FARMERS FOR CLIMATE ACTION: RALLY FOR RESILIENCE” (3/3/2023)
- RAFI-USA Comments on “Poultry Growing Tournament Systems: Fairness and Related Concerns” (9/28/2022)
- RAFI-USA Enters Conservation Cooperative Agreement with USDA (5/31/2022)
- Proposed USDA Rule Would Increase Transparency in Poultry Industry (5/26/2022)
- RAFI-USA Outlines 2022 Policy Priorities (3/28/2022)
- 2022 Come To The Table Conference (2/1/2022)
Recent RAFI-USA Media Coverage
2023
- RAFI Web Tools Encourage Farm Bill Engagement, Lancaster Farming, Dan Sullivan, June 7, 2023
- Reversing the decline in numbers of Black farmers, Spectrum In Focus, May 7, 2023 (Featuring two members of our Farmers of Color Network: Kamal Bell and Julius Griffin, and Ray Jeffers, Director of RAFI’s Farmers of Color Network.
- Edna Rodriguez Profile, Chatham Magazine, March/April 2023
- Nonprofits secure $4M in USDA Climate-Smart Commodities funding, The Packer, March 28, 2023
- armers March for Urgent Climate Action in DC, Civil Eats, March 9, 2023
- Black Farmers Call for Justice from the USDA, NPR, Ximena Bustillo, February 12, 2023
- Communities, Farmers Want Say in Farm Bill Priorities, Public News Service, Nadia Ramlagan, January 31, 2023
- NC farmers aim to make agriculture inclusive for underrepresented, Daily Tar Heel, Eliza Benbow, January 18, 2023
- As Grocery Stores Get Bigger, Small Farms Get Squeezed Out, Civil Eats, Lisa Held, January 17, 2023
2022
- North Carolina Local News Lab Fund Awards more than $1.5 Million to 31 Local News Organizations, Representing Largest Round of Funding to Date, October 27, 2022
- Farm Aid brings music, agriculture relief efforts to Raleigh, ABC News Channel 11, September 23, 2022
- Farm Aid comes back to Raleigh, putting the issues of NC farmers back in the spotlight, Raleigh News and Observer, Martha Quillin, September 21, 2022
- Creating new business opportunities and fostering hope, W.K. Kellogg Foundation News, June 15, 2022
Policy and Challenging Corporate Power
- How it works: The risky business of contract poultry farming in North Carolina, Charlotte Observer, Ames Alexander, December 7, 2022
- Aaron Johnson talks with Melinda Hemmelgarn on Poultry Tournament System, Food Sleuth Radio, October 28, 2022
- Chesapeake Conservation Corps delivers results – and expands, Bay Journal, October 24, 2022
- USDA to Tighten Protections for Contract Farmers, Public News Service, Nadia Ramlagan, October 14, 2022
- Chicken industry, reform advocates clash over proposed transparency rule, Agri-Pulse, Amy Mayer, August 31, 2022
- ‘Big Chicken’ Merger Moves ahead Despite Investigations by the Biden Administration, Daily Yonder, Claire Carlson, August 23, 2022
- AG Stein supports proposed USDA rule to increase transparency in poultry industry, Kyle Ingram, News & Observer, August 10, 2022
- Big U.S. chicken company, Mountaire, asks contractors to oppose transparency rule Reuters, Leah Douglas, August 5, 2022
- USDA seeks comments on proposed changes to poultry contracting and tournaments, Agri-Pulse, Amy Mayer, June 22, 2022
- USDA Releases Long-Awaited Poultry Tournament Rule, RTF-TV, June 13, 2022
- USDA Promotes Transparency in Poultry Contracts, Lancaster Farming, Philip Gruber, May 31, 2022
- Biden Administration Announces Plan to Make Chicken Industry More Transparent, Food Print, Ryan Nebeker, May 27, 2022
Farm Advocacy & Resource for Resilient Farms
- V.I. Good Food Coalition Launches Program to Help Farmers Apply for Funding, The St. Thomas Source, December 5, 2022
- More Black Farmers Use Farm Service Agency Services, Public News Service, Nadia Ramlagan, September 12, 2022
- Farm Aid 2022 Brings Environmental and Social Justice Messages to Raleigh, NC, Lancaster Farming, Dan Sullivan, July 26, 2022
- “It Tears You Apart Mentally and Physically”: The Health Crisis Afflicting Black Farmers, In these Times (reprint from The Counter), May 11, 2022
- Panel Highlights Ways for Farmers to Tap Into Federal Aid, Public News Service, Jonah Chester, April 14, 2022
- Lisa Misch, Director of Farmer Outreach and Technical Assistance Gives RAFI-USA Overview, Fresh Take Podcast, April 4, 2020
- Can Farmers Help Each Other Navigate Mental Health Crises?, Civil Eats, Lela Nargi, February 1, 2022
- 3 nonprofits serving Puerto Rico get USDA conservation assistance grants, News is My Business, January 11, 2022
Farmers Markets and Double Bucks
- NC Farmers’ Markets Double Buying Power for Food-Insecure Households, Public News Service, Chance Dorland, May 24, 2022
Come to the Table
- Can Food Justice Be a Religion? Food Tank, Danielle Nierenberg, December 2022
- Bridging the Gap: From Farm to Church, Stories @ Duke Divinity, October 2022
- As Costs Rise, Opportunities Dwindle for NC Small Farmers, Public News Service, Nadia Ramlagan, March 28, 2022
- Promoting Food Access in Rural Communities through Churches, Daily Yonder, Olivia Weeks, March 18, 2022
- Debt, racism, and fear of displacement are driving an overlooked public health crisis among Black farmers, The Counter, Safiya Charles, March 17, 2022
- Faith and Food Justice Conference Highlights Root Causes of Unfair Food Systems, Food Tank, Vicky Brown Varela, March 16, 2022
2021
- The Chicken Farmers are Pushing Back, Mother Jones, October 6, 2021, originally published on Capitol Forum and FERN
- Sowing Seeds of Change: America’s Female Horticulturists, Bronze Magazine, August 2021, Pages 14-19
- Produce boxes available to active Senior Center members this week at nutrition sites, Stanly News and Press, July 19, 2021
- Chicken Farmers are Speaking Out Against the Rise of Corporate Agriculture, Sentinent Media, July 16, 2021
- More Than 25 Organizations File Amicus Brief To Release Wisconsin Order Halting $4 Billion In Loan Forgiveness For BIPOC Farmers, Idaho State Journal, June 24, 2001
- News Briefs: RAFI-USA announces ‘Come To The Table’ conference speakers, Chatham News + Record, June 24, 2021
- What will happen to USDA’s loan forgiveness for BIPOC farmers?, The Counter, Lela Nargi, June 18, 2021
- Triangle Farmers of Color Respond to Delayed Federal Aid, Indy Week, Ellie Heffernan, June 16, 2021
- Black And Minority Farmers Will Receive $4 Billion In Debt Relief. For Some, It’s A Lifeline. For Others, Too Little, Too Late, Forbes, Elena Botella, June 4, 2021
- What’s new in food: Green acres, green students and a Baby Bull on the loose, Mountain Express, Kay West, June 1, 2021
- Double Your SNAP dollars at the Wilmington Farmers Market at Tidal Creek, Star News Online, May 31, 2021
- Industry groups ask Congress to invest in climate ag package, Farms.com, May 31, 2021
- Reidsville Prepares for New Normal, Rockingham Now, May 9, 2021
- Regenerative agriculture needs a reckoning, The Counter, Joe Fassler, May 3, 2021
- After a Century of Dispossession, Black Farmers Are Fighting to Get Back to the Land, May/June issue, 2021
- Salisbury Human Relations Council offering online Racial Wealth Gap Simulation, April 23, 2021
- Summer Camp helps feed food insecure seniors, WITN-TV, April 20, 2021
- Farmers’ market set to open for season, The News Herald, April 15, 2021
- Challenging the Root Causes of Unjust Food Systems: A podcast interview with RAFI-USA Farmer Advocate Craig Watts, American Family Farmer, April 8, 2021 [NOTE: Interview 8:47-30:18]
- Black-Owned Farmland Is Disappearing. A New Wake County CSA Is Helping Stem the Tide, Indy Week, March 31, 2021
- Elizabeth Cook: Beloved dialogue brings races together, Salisbury Post, March 28, 2021
- The Climate Connection: Saving and sharing seeds: A local — and global — effort promotes resiliency, Napa Valley Register, March 22, 2021
- Come to the Table’s new CSA pairs three local farmers with eight Wake County churches, Talk of the Triangle: Cary and Midtown Magazine newsletter, March 11, 2021
- In March, Congress authorized a multibillion-dollar bailout for farms suffering losses because of the coronavirus pandemic, NeighborWebSJ, March 10, 2021
- Tahz Walker, Farmers of Color Network Senior Program Officer, talks to Food Tank Live’s Danielle Nierenberg, February 23, 2021
- Black-Owned Farms Are Holding on by a Thread, Eater, February 23, 2021
- Farmers Voice Support for Bill Tackling Monopoly Power, Public News Service, February 19, 2021 (distribution through Southeast U.S.)
- Biden’s Pick for Agriculture Secretary Splits Farming Community, Zenger News, February 19, 2021
- Pittsboro’s RAFI calling out antitrust violations in farming, Chatham News + Observer, February 17, 2021
- 2021 Farmers of Color Network Infrastructure Grant, Team Agriculture Georgia, February 16, 2021
- Senate Democrats Take Aim at Antitrust and Lack of Competition in Ag Markets, Daily Yonder, February 11, 2021
- How Will Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s Antitrust Bill Affect Agriculture?, Modern Farmer, February 11, 2021
- Grants to Church Food Pantries Promote Purchases from Local Farmers, Restaurants, Daily Yonder, February 5, 2021
- Farmers-of-Color Grant Program Triples Funding Pool and Expands Focus in the Southeast, Daily Yonder, February 4, 2021
2020
- I’m a former poultry farmer. The meatpacking industry has failed workers during the pandemic and I’m not surprised by the deadly consequences, Business Insider, December 6, 2020
- NSAC Co-hosts Webinar on Black Farm Cooperatives, NSAC Blog, October 28, 2020
- Biden is Courting Black Farmers, but They’re Paving their Own Way to Justice – FoodPrint, October 20, 2020
- After Cooper backs down on executive order, NC worker advocates push for protection, News & Observer, September 18, 2020
- For Small Farms Surviving the Pandemic, Co-ops Are a Lifeline, Civil Eats, September 14, 2020
- Lawmakers, farmers of color criticize USDA’s new funding initiative, PoliticoPro, August 20, 2020
- Small farmers left behind in Trump administration’s COVID-19 relief package – NBC Universal, August 9, 2020
- Pittsboro-based advocacy group subsidizes local farms hurt by pandemic – Chatham News and Record, July 29, 2020
- Farm Aid distributes $400,000 to strengthen farmers impacted by COVID-19 – Agri News, June 30, 2020
- The government has earmarked billions to help farmers. There will be winners and losers. – NBC Universal, May 19, 2020
- Special Episode: Cultivating Resilience In Our Food System, NPR, May 15, 2020
- How farmers, consumers are rising to coronavirus challenges – AP, May 10, 2020
- How some NC farmers, and consumers, are rising to the challenges of COVID-19, News & Observer, May 4, 2020
- Open Markets and Allies Demand Antitrust Enforcement in Meat Industry to Protect Workers, Farmers – Common Dreams, May 1, 2020
- Op-ed: Don’t Blame Farmers Who Have to Euthanize Their Animals. Blame the Companies They Work For. – Civil Eats, April 30, 2020
- Faith leaders call for stronger worker protections at meatpacking plants – Fern Ag Insider, April 29, 2020
- When meat plants shutter, what happens to market-ready animals? – Food and Environment Reporting Network, April 28, 2020
- Dear governor: Farmworkers need your help – My Daily Record, April 24, 2020
- As growing season commences, health pandemic raises big concerns for NC ag industry, farmworkers – NC Policy Watch, March 26, 2020
- Small Farmers Hustle to Address Economic Fallout of Coronavirus – Daily Yonder, March 26, 2020
- Rising N.C. farm bankruptcies could signal broader rural crisis – Independent Tribune, February 7, 2020
- USDA focuses on meat markets – Arkansas Online, January 14, 2020
2011 – 2019
- Farmers of Color and Buyers Connect, Morning Ag Clips, November 17, 2019
- Opinion: To Win in Rural Areas, Dems Must Take on Ag Monopolies – Daily Yonder, May 29, 2019
- Anchor Institutions of North Carolina: Rural Faith Leaders Gather in Burlington – EdNC, May 22, 2019
- Benny Bunting, Making Sure Farmers Have the Right To Survive – Farm Aid, Apr 23, 2019
- The Crazy Food Fight Over The Future of Vegetables – Men’s Health, Mar 28, 2019
- Building a just food system for all: Notes from RAFI’s Come to the Table conference – EdNC, Mar 25, 2019
- Farmers confront a mental health crisis – The Gazette, Mar 24, 2019
- Members of IEI Attend RAFI’s Come to the Table Conference in Charlotte – Institute for Emerging Issues, Mar 20, 2019
- American Farmers Confront a Mental Health Crisis – Bloomberg, Mar 20, 2019
- Organic Farmers Association Announces Newly Elected Governing Council and Policy Committee – Capital Press, Mar 11, 2019
- The Race to Relearn Hemp Farming – Scientific American, Jan 18, 2019
- Nathaniel Rateliff’s Marigold Project Announces 2018 Grant Recipients – Westword, Jan 16, 2019
- As a New Congress Takes Office, it’s Time to Hit the Pause Button on Big Ag Mergers – Civil Eats, Jan 4, 2019
- Hurricane relief concert raises $325,000 – The Reflector, Nov 27, 2018
- Avett Brothers headlining Florence benefit concert Tuesday – WITN, Nov 13, 2018
- Five charities to benefit from Tuesday’s Avett show – The Daily Reflector, Nov 9, 2018
- What to Do With 4.2 Million Dead Poultry After Hurricane Florence? Turn Them Into Compost. – North Carolina Health News, Nov 5, 2018
- Avett Brothers’ hurricane relief concert will help the place they once called home – The News & Observer, Oct 30 2018
- In Sprawling Farm Bill, a $200 Million Corporate Research Subsidy Goes Unnoticed – The Progressive, Sep 25, 2018
- Here and Now September 24, 2018: Hour 2 – WBUR, Sep 24, 2018
- For Farmers, Florence Means Years Of Recovery And Loss Of Resilience – WBUR, Sep 24, 2018
- Hurricane Florence Threatens to Spread Hog Poop Over North Carolina – Wired, Sep 14, 2018
- For Farmers, the Impact of Florence Will Linger for Years – Daily Yonder, Sep 14, 2018
- Relief for Hurricane Florence – Charity Navigator, Sep 14, 2018
- The Rise of the Zombie Small Businesses – The Atlantic, Sep 4, 2018
- SNAP Expected to be Harder to Use at Some Farmers Markets – North Carolina Health News, July 18, 2018
- Starting In August, Farmers Markets Will Need Alternative To Process SNAP Benefits – WUNC, July 18, 2018
- RAFI’s Equity at the Table Speaker Series Comes to Wilmington – Dub City Heartbeat, March 22, 2018
- The Government’s Own Watchdog Says Massive Poultry Companies Are Exploiting Small Business Loans – Mother Jones, March 16, 201civ8
- Seeds Only a Plant Breeder Could Love, Until Now – New York Times, Feb 27, 2018
- Organic farmers launch effort for add-on label after disappointing NOSB actions – IEG Policy, Feb 26, 2018
- A learning ‘Agritunity’: Statesville event connects growers with experts – Statesville Record & Landmark, Jan 26, 2018
- Craft Brewers and Hop Industry Collaborate with Public Breeding – The Daily Yonder, Dec 18, 2017
- Analysis: The big consequence of the Amazon-Whole Foods deal no one’s talking about – The Chicago Tribune, Jun 30, 2017
- Valuing Farmers in the Whole Foods Acquisition – Food Tech Connect, Jun 21, 2017
- How Chicken Farmers Are Getting Clucked in a Supermarket Near You – Truthout, Jun 02, 2017
- 22 Inspirational Women in Food and Agriculture – FoodTank.org, Jun 2017
- Farm Aid highlights heroic work of farm advocates – Farmers Advance, May 31, 2017
- Randolph County farmer using pigs to clear land for cattle pasture – Fox News 8 (Greensboro, NC), May 30, 2017
- Film celebrates ‘farm advocates’ who fought back against rural crisis – The News & Observer, May 18, 2017
- Farm Aid Co-Founder John Mellencamp Hosts Premiere of ‘Homeplace Under Fire,’ Film Profiles Farming Activists – Billboard.com, May 18, 2017
- Farm advocate testifies on importance of USDA financing – Hortidaily, May 5, 2017
- Many Crop Farmers Searching for a Way to at Least Break Even – Agrinet News Network, May 2017
- Lowcountry growers could face the next flood with crop insurance – The Post and Courier, Oct. 14, 2015
- Poultry Farmers Watch the Sky – Coastal Review Online, Sep 9, 2015
- 3 Questions for Benny Bunting, Farm Advocate – Orion Magazine, Sep 3, 2015
- Autryville’s Buzz – The Sampson Weekly, Jul 17-23, 2015
- Summer Fare: Farmer’s market brings garden varieties downtown – The News Herald, Jul 18, 2015
- Save Your Seeds with Help from Olympia Food Co-op – Thurston Talk, Jul 6, 2015
- Eating in the Meantime: Food Justice Advocates Urged to Probe Deeper – NC Health News, Jun 10, 2015
- Judge Says No to Fracking – Eco Watch, May 21, 2015
- The Color of Food – Natasha Bowens, May 5, 2015
- Vendors to accept SNAP at Morganton Farmers Market – The News Herald, Apr 23, 2015
- There’s a Place That’s Nearly Perfect for Growing Food. It’s Not California. – Mother Jones, Apr 20, 2015
- Conference digs towards the root of hunger in WNC – Smoky Mountain News, Apr 1, 2015
- New Book Tells of Small, Rural Farmers Beating the Odds in Tobacco Country – Seedstock, Mar 12, 2015
- Florida Organic Growers to host agricultural cooperative planning meeting in Live Oak – Suwannee Democrat, Mar 9, 2015
- Railey: Farmer Pushes on for all the right reasons – Winston-Salem Journal, Feb 28, 2015
- Battle Over Breakfast: Consumer Groups Fight Cereal Merger – DailyFinance, Feb 20, 2015
- Conference on hunger at Elon next week – Times-News, Feb 19, 2015
- Advocates Urge FTC to Reject Post-MOM Brands Cereal Merger – Food Consumer, Feb 18, 2015
- Scene & Heard: On small beginnings and great achievement – Winston-Salem Journal, Feb 8, 2015
- SOS: Save our seeds – Sustainable Food Trust, Jan 23, 2015
- Seeds–The Battle for Sustainable Agriculture – Revolve Media, Winter 2014/15, Revolve #14
- Participants express concern over USDA’s coexistence meeting – Agri-Pulse, Dec 24, 2014
- New Report Finds Farmers Harmed by Decline in Seed Supply – ProAg News, Nov 5, 2014
- Project aims to increase sales, food stamp use at farmers markets – Smoky Mountain News, Oct 29, 2014
- ASAP, RAFI-USA launch program to increase farmers market sales – Mountain XPress, Oct 20, 2014
- Food Justice Certified label aims to verify fair treatment of farm laborers, others in food chain – Food Navigator-USA, Sep 26, 2014
- Farm Aid comes to North Carolina – Carolina Connection, Sep 13, 2014
- Market’s Double Bucks program helps feed families – Chapel Hill News, Aug 19, 2014
- Driller apparently wants to frack Meadowmont in Chapel Hill – INDY Week’s News Blog, Jul 23, 2014
- Fracking company makes offers in Durham – INDY Week’s News Blog, Jul 22, 2014
- The Future of Food: Six things you should know about the state of the American farm – OnEarth Magazine, Jul 7, 2014
- Interview with RAFI Just Foods Director Michael Sligh – Lexicon of Sustainability, Summer 2014
- First Food Justice Certified Farm and Food Stores in New York – Cornell Small Farms Program, Summer 2014
- DFM seeks to help SNAP/EBT Customers – The Herald Sun, Jun 7, 2014
- Tyson Foods Chairman Joins Billionaires Club, While Wages For Chicken Farmers Wane – BuzzFeed, May 13, 2014
- Two farmers’ markets in Durham begin accepting SNAP benefits – The Herald Sun, Apr 26, 2014
- Lee County landowners fight fracking – Carolina Connection, Mar 27, 2014
- As Commodity Farmers Shift Course, a Library to Collect Their Stories – Civil Eats, Mar 25, 2014
- Like Sustainable Food? Support Public Plant Breeding. – Civil Eats, Mar 5, 2014
- The Future of Farming is Open Source – MAKE Magazine, Mar 3, 2014
- The System Supplying America’s Chickens Pits Farmer Vs. Farmer – NPR Morning Edition, Feb 20, 2014
- This Holiday, Farmers Report Consumers Are Shopping Locally for Food – Public News Service (radio), Dec 13, 2013
- Government Shutdown Harms Family Farms – Huffington Post, Oct 2, 2013
- GMO Field Trials: Contamination Concerns – The Epoch Times, Sep 11, 2013
- Fracking rule gets new scrutiny – The Pilot, Sep 3, 2013
- Dixon Family Farms – Our State Magazine, Aug 13, 2013
- Scott Marlow Discusses Global Food Security – CCTV America, Jul 22, 2013
- Put it in your pipe and grow it: Former tobacco farms evolve – Grist Magazine, May 17, 2012
- Our Dwindling Food Variety – National Geographic, Jul 2011