USDA Launches 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' Campaign

by Lisa Schweitzer, Posted Sep 16th 2009 @ 4:00PM

Photo: andrea dunlap/flickr.

Yesterday in Washington, D.C., Tom Vilsack, the Agriculture Secretary and Kathleen Merrigan, the Deputy Secretary, announced a new USDA initiative, "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food." Officials say the almost $65 million program will "begin a national conversation to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity."

"An American people that is more engaged with their food supply will create new income opportunities for American agriculture," said Vilsack. He also posted a video on You Tube outlining the details of the program. On a consumer level, part of this initiative means knowing where your food comes from, beyond the grocery store produce aisle, as well as bringing locally farmed fruit and vegetables to schools.

The program will also help smaller farmers ship meat and poultry across state lines, in order to boost rural economies and small agriculture businesses. There will be changes to existing USDA programs that cut down logistical and bureaucratic road blocks that make sustainable local agriculture more costly and more difficult.

Do you know your local farmer?
Yes, I buy all my produce at her stand at the green market.	56 (52.3%)
Who? I do all my shopping at a big grocery store.	51 (47.7%)

Filed Under: Farming, Food News
Tags: agriculture, america, KnowYourFarmer, knowyourfood, local food, LocalFood, sustainable, usda

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-16-2009 @8:19PM thefishie said... The only farmers market in our area is open during the summer only and on Saturday at 7am, where things are mostly sold out by about 8:30am. That one hour time window, and one in which I don't ordinarily do anything but roll over in bed, severely limits my farmers market purchases.
I do wish we had one with maybe just a little more convenient hours.
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9-16-2009 @9:44PM Kevpod said... Sexism renders your question unanswerable. My CSA farmer is a he.
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9-17-2009 @9:07AM Peter said... Even with good, organic produce, by the time it reaches the farmers market, it's too late IMO and you've already compromised quality. There is NOTHING like fresh picked corn that can be eaten uncooked minutes after it is picked from the field... it is like candy!

That is why I viisit my local organic farmers regularly and go with them into their fields to pick exactly what I want on the spot. I even get to cut, pull or pick it. Then it's a 7 minute dash home to enjoy the freshest produce one can have sans growing it yourself.

If you are lucky to have a local organic farmer, then by all means, I urge you to really get to know them by going to them to get your produce fresh picked for you... there is no better way to know your food.
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9-17-2009 @10:00AM LinC said... Your poll doesn't have enough options. I buy great seasonal produce at the local country farmers' market, but the rest of my veggies at the grocery store. Obviously, in the winter I buy everything at the grocery store or eat what I've frozen. Some of the farmers at the market are not much for talking, but then there's the guy with the 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and the retired postman with the blueberries who wants to share his life story.
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