PRESS :: Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 06, 2004

FARM AID Grants Community Alliance with Family Farmers $5,000

Contact: Will Stockwin,
530-756-8518, ext. 22
Email Will

(DAVIS, CALIFORNIA) - Farm Aid today granted farm groups across the country $250,000 to strengthen family farm agriculture and to ensure that Americans continue to have a choice about their food.

The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) received a grant of $5,000 to assist its efforts in cultivating healthy family farms, food and communities. CAFF will use the funds to continue its work developing sustainable agriculture policy positions and proposals that address farming production methods and enhance opportunities for creating an alternative food marketing and retail system linking family farmers and California consumers.

"This grant enables CAFF to continue its leadership in building linkages between California's urban population and family farmers," Leland Swenson, CAFF's Executive Director said. "Helping family farmers to prosper is critical because they provide the safe, quality food consumers desire, produced in a manner that sustains our natural resources."

"California's independent family farmers struggle to survive with increased concentration in the market and retail food system," Judith Redmond, family farmer from Guinda and CAFF President said. "The support of Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews and others provides great assistance to organizations like CAFF to carry out work directly on behalf of family farmers."

Much of the money raised by Farm Aid for farmers this year was the result of a sold-out fundraising concert September 7, 2003 at the Germain Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio.

Farm Aid's 2003 grants, which were distributed to 42 family farm groups in 26 states, support efforts to help farmers stay on the land. Challenging factory farm food production and building a stronger local food system are among the priorities of the funded groups. Funds will also support emergency hotlines and the efforts of farm advocates who work everyday to help farm families recover from disasters and other financial hardships.

"Family farmers are America's last and only guarantee for fresh, healthful food that is grown in ways that are good for consumers, our soil, our water and our air," Farm Aid President Willie Nelson said. "This year's grants will help farmers make the changes they need to make to stay on their land. Farm Aid stands with our family farmers in their struggle, and we'll be with them as long as it takes to win."

In the past 18 years, Farm Aid has directed more than $25 million to help support the efforts of more than 100 farm organizations, as well as church and service agencies in 44 states. Farm Aid was founded in 1985. Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews serve as members of the board. Farm Aid raises public awareness about the critical importance of the American family farmer and mobilizes public support to keep family farmers on the land producing the country's food. To learn more about Farm Aid, visit their Web site at www.farmaid.org, or call 1-800-FARM-AID.

Community Alliance with Family Farmers is building a movement of rural and urban people to foster family-scale agriculture that cares for the land, sustains local economies, and promotes social justice. Find CAFF on the Web at www.caff.org.

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