Defenders,

Good tidings during the changing of the seasons! For many of us, fall offers a reprieve from the growing season farm work and an opportunity to redirect our energies. At FFD, while we know these are not normal times, we recognize the need for a moment of gathering and celebration. Please join us at our annual meeting and Food Sovereignty Prize Award Ceremony (details below). With this email, we also highlight the actions and advocacy of our members. September was quite busy for us, with members attending the Nyeleni Global Forum in Sri Lanka and the 40th Farm Aid Concert and Farmer Forum in Minneapolis. Scroll down to see their report backs, along with a spotlight on recent ICE raids in the Midwest and their calls to action in support of justice for migrant labor.

Save the Date: Annual Meeting and 2025 John Kinsman Food Sovereignty Prize Award Banquet 

Fri. Nov 14th – Sat. Nov. 15th in Madison, WI

Recent Publications from FFD Board Members

The Duplicity of Land o Lakes Cooperative, Jim Goodman | Counterpunch | 10.30.25

Farmers are in Trouble—Restructuring the USMCA Could Turn Things Around, Anthony Pahnke | Common Dreams| 9.24.25

Trump Policies Hurt Struggling Farmers Anthony Pahnke |The Progressive | 9.25.25

U.S. farm group supports supply management Greg Price (quotes from Jim Goodman) | The Western Producer | 9.21.25

Farmers Standing with Immigrants is about more than Dollar and Cents, Anthony Pahnke |9.25 | Organic Broadcaster Fall 2025 (pg 4)

Justice for Migrant Labor: Resist and Protect Communities Under Attack!

West Side Chicago protesting against ICE Photo credit: Fight Back News

Trump’s reign of terror on immigrant communities continues. On September 25th, Wisconsin saw 24 arrests in Manitowoc County. The raid began in a Walmart parking lot specifically targeting farmworkers. Manitowoc County has the most mega-dairies, or dairy CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), of any county in the state. The FBI initially claimed that nine arrests were related to sexual assault or trafficking but never published any state-level charges with that description.

Painting all migrants as criminals is purposeful, designed to intimidate, dehumanize, and terrorize communities. While claiming to be going after the “worst of the worst”, Chicago ICE agents have been seen showing up at schools – prompting Chicago Public Schools to establish a command center to help schools navigate nearby ICE activity. 

Creating this climate of fear encourages folks to stay trapped at home instead of going to work, pursue their education, or connect and participate in the community. The economic toll that this is having and will continue to have can only pale in comparison to the emotional and mental toll of living an identity under attack. In Madison, Wisconsin, the recent arrest of seven migrants has led advocacy groups to sound alarm bells, fearing further persecution. 

With 70% of the labor on Wisconsin’s dairy farms coming from immigrants, what possible future is available for farming without justice for migrant labor?

We need a mass movement connecting rural and urban communities, workers and business owners, farmers, teachers, and students to advocate for immigration reform with pathways to citizenship for citizens living in this country without status. This is the time to show solidarity with immigrant communities, working together to protect each other and to advocate for structural change.

Get involved in immigration solidarity in Wisconsin:

• WISDOM hosts a monthly task force call with their current campaigns focusing on ending 287(g) agreements, Know Your Rights trainings, Restore Driver Licenses, and Employer Emergency Preparedness
• Voces de la Frontera has chapters across the state, with their current campaigns being No 287(g) and Driver Licenses for All 

Nyeleni or Bust!

Written by George Naylor (board member of FFD)

I was honored to be a delegate at the 3rd Nyeleni Global Food Sovereignty Forum, in Kandi, Sri Lanka. Delegates from 102 countries attended with 420 delegates and another 300 academics, journalists, etc.

The theme was “Systemic Transformation, Now or Never“. After the many years of disastrous consequences to rural people and working people because of globalization and neoliberalism, I thought a more specific analysis of that global economic system was in order and was unfortunately lacking. However, it was inspiring and useful to learn about the movements represented by each delegation.

The North American region’s intent for a new trade framework (largely developed by Family Farm Defenders and the National Family Farm Coalition) was highlighted. Other movements included healthcare for all, climate change, and workers’ rights. The aim for systemic change involved all the movements recognizing that we are all in this together and figuring out how the movements can support the others drawing a bigger picture rather than only working in our “silos”.

My thrill at the forum was to sit down with farmers from other countries. It’s clear we’re all experiencing the same rural exodus, destruction of our soils and loss of biodiversity.

A delegation of the Indian farmers recounted to me meeting former FFD president Joel Greeno at previous conferences – what an incredible opportunity for our organization to build these personal relationships intentionally. Thanks to Joel for being such a good ambassador!

Many tragic stories were told to me about their members losing their farms and moving into urban slums. Among small wins from these movements, we know the fight ahead will be hard. In this moment of our world, democracy is at stake, and unless real systemic change is achieved, things will only get worse.

Here’s what I offered to be included in the final declaration of the forum: Wealth and power accumulate because corporations externalize costs and internalize profits. Two important policies to counter this logic would be for every country to establish a minimum living wage and organize its agriculture with a parity system – no more making giant profits from cheap labor and cheap agricultural commodities.

I believe we can learn from other movements how to organize and build our movements among the public, not just our constituents. As we say in La Via Campesina, “Globalize the Struggle, Globalize the Hope.”

Interested in getting involved with this work?

Our board currently meets every 2nd Thursday of the month at 7pm.
Reach out to familyfarmdefenders@yahoo.com to learn more!

La Via Campesina North America is hiring! 

Call for applications by Nov. 10th

After many years of rebuilding, La Via Campesina North America is once again hiring a part-time administrative staff position to support the region. The position is for someone interested in being in a support role (it is not a political role), and will be managed by the three new Regional Coordinators. It is a remote, part-time position (15-20 hours weekly). 

See the job description here and how to apply here

Family Farm Defenders at Farm Aid 2025

Written by John Peck (Executive Director of FFD)

Farm Aid celebrated its 40th anniversary in late September in Minneapolis, and many FFD folks were there! Legend has it that Bob Dylan spoke with Willie Nelson back in 1985 about the need for musicians to support family farmers.Since that first concert, Farm Aid has raised more than $85 million to assist family farmers by supporting the advocacy work of grassroots organizations like FFD. I’ve been to half a dozen Farm Aid concerts over the last few decades, and I must say this one was the worst nail-biter yet since it almost didn’t happen. There was a pending Teamsters strike at the Univ. of MN the week before, and all the Farm Aid musicians announced they would never cross a picket line. Thankfully, a quick call from Willie Nelson to MN Gov. Tim Walz resolved the strike (Walz later appeared on the stage to introduce Willie), but that such a scenario was even likely shows the troubled nature of our times. Neil Young certainly upped the ante at the pre-concert press conference by calling for a “guilty conscience” tax on Big Ag billionaires, given how much they have profited off the loss of family farms and the misery of poorer people in general. Beyond the concert itself, some of the highlights were the Farmer Forum on Friday, which featured a keynote address by MN State Attorney General Keith Ellison—one of the national champions of anti-trust action against corporate agribusiness. I was also thrilled to hear Sean Sherman, Lakota chef and activist, speak on a native food sovereignty panel. I first heard about Sean’s work at the Standing Rock Protest in ND back in 2017, when FFD was delivering organic produce donated by WI and MN farmers.Sherman’s new book, Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, is due out in November and should be on everyone’s holiday wish list.

Family Farm Defenders was also part of the Homegrown Village this year. Our booth was titled, “What’s in Your Water?”, and focused on the threats stemming from industrial agribusiness, as well as the solutions offered by small-scale agroecology. Hundreds of people (including Daryl Hannah!) came by to check out our “dubious” water samples from IA, WI, and MN, the “mystery” pathogens lurking within (crypto, anyone?), as well as to talk about how rotational grazing, composting, and buffer strips are much better solutions than digesters, pollution trading, and chemical “no-till.” Sarah Lloyd “enjoyed” having a chat with an executive from Crystal Sugar, while Joel Greeno had to negotiate parking his vintage Allis Chalmers tractor (which has now been at several Farm Aid events) anywhere near the stadium entrance. Ultimately, he was successful in reminding the 40,000+ visitors about the real struggle of family farmers even as they tried to navigate an overly congested and hyper-corporatized venue.