{"id":874,"date":"2013-02-12T19:01:35","date_gmt":"2013-02-13T01:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familyfarmers.org\/?p=874"},"modified":"2013-02-26T22:14:21","modified_gmt":"2013-02-27T04:14:21","slug":"farm-labor-reality-tour-brings-together-grassroots-farmworker-family-farm-organizations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familyfarmers.org\/?p=874","title":{"rendered":"Farm Labor Reality Tour Crosses Midwest, Headed to Florida – Brings Solidarity Message of Fairness, Justice, and Dignity for Family Farmers and Farm Workers Everywhere!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>For Immediate Release<\/p>\n

Wed. Feb. 20th<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Contact:

\nBob St.Peter
\nFood for Maine’s Future<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n207-244-0908<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>
\nbobstpeter@gmail.com<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Joel Greeno
\nFamily Farm Defenders<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n608-344-0564<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

John E. Peck
\nFamily Farm Defenders
\n608-260-0900 or 608-345-3918
\nfamilyfarmdefenders@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Marley Moynahan
\nCoalition of Immokalee Workers<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n239-357-0393<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>
\nmarley@ciw-online.org<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Farm Labor Reality Tour, a two-week caravan across 15 states to unite family farmers and farm laborers across the country in their common quest for fairness, justice and dignity, left Brewer, Maine on Sat. Feb. 15th Led by three grassroots organizations representing small farmers, farmworkers, and food justice activists, <\/span><\/span><\/span>Family Farm Defenders<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>, the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Coalition of Immokalee Workers<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> (CIW) and <\/span><\/span><\/span>Food for Maine’s Future<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>, the tour aims to draw attention to the shared struggles of all people who work in America’s fields.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Itinerary of Events:<\/div>\n
Milwaukee, WI:<\/div>\n
Thurs. Feb. 21st<\/sup> 2:00 \u2013 3:00 pm\u00a0 Palermo\u2019s Picket Line (3310 Cass St. in Milwaukee, WI)\u00a0 Tour will join Palermo Pizza Workers who have been on strike since June 1st<\/sup> of last year, demanding an end to abusive conditions on the job.\u00a0 Info?\u00a0 www.sliceofjustice.com<\/a><\/div>\n
Thurs. Feb. 21st<\/sup> 5:30 \u2013 7:00 pm Prince of Peace\/Princip de Paz Church (1138 S. 25th<\/sup> St. in Milwaukee, WI.\u00a0 Tour will participate in a Town Hall meeting with U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, mobilizing support for immigration legislation that includes a path to citizenship.\u00a0 This is also the kickoff event for the Great Lakes Bus Tour for Immigrant Rights.\u00a0 Info?\u00a0 414-643-1620 Ext. 208<\/div>\n
La Crosse, WI:<\/div>\n
Fri. Feb. 22nd<\/sup> All Day\u00a0 La Crosse Center (300 Harbor\u00a0 View Plaza in La Crosse, WI)\u00a0 Tour will participate in workshops, forums, and conversations at the Organic Farming Conference \u2013 the largest such conference in North America.\u00a0 Info? http:\/\/www.mosesorganic.org\/conference.html<\/a><\/div>\n
Sat. Feb. 23rd<\/sup> 12:00 Noon \u2013 2:00 pm\u00a0 La Crosse Center \u2013 Orange Room (\u00a0 As part of the Organic Farming Conference, the tour will hold a panel discussion titled:\u00a0 Beyond Organic \u2013 The Farm Labor Reality Tour.\u00a0 Panelists will include:\u00a0 Bob St. Peter, Food for Maine’s Future; Joel Greeno, Family Farm Defenders; John Peck, Family Farm Defenders; John Kinsman, Family Farm Defenders; Patty Lovera, Food and Water Watch<\/div>\n
Info?\u00a0 #608-345-3918<\/div>\n
Kendall, WI:<\/div>\n
Sun. Feb. 24th<\/sup> All Day\u00a0 Greeno Family Farm (31863 Lumber Ave, Kendall, WI)\u00a0 Join the farm labor reality tour for a workday on the family farm of Joel and Laura Greeno.\u00a0 Help milk the cows, clean the barn, chop wood, and see what life is all about in Rural America.\u00a0 Info?\u00a0 #608-344-0564<\/div>\n
Twin Cities, MN:<\/div>\n
Mon. Feb 25th 6:00 pm – Macalester College, Chapel Basement (1600 Grand Avenue, Saint Paul, MN)\u00a0 Tour will host a community forum.\u00a0 Panelists include:\u00a0 Ernesto Velez Bustos- Director of Centro Campesino, Latino-led migrant and immigrant worker organization; Jim Goodman- Wisconsin Organic Dairy Farmer, Member of Scenic Central Cooperative and Family Farm Defenders; Bob St. Peter -Family Farmer and Organizer for Food for Maine’s Future; Michael Chaney – Director and Organizer for Urban farmers in Minneapolis, Project Sweetie Pie.\u00a0 Info?\u00a0 612-916-9148\u00a0 Or on Facebook: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/211144129027517\/<\/a>Tues. Feb. 26th<\/sup> 7:00 \u2013 9:00 am\u00a0 \u00a0Christ Luther Church on Capitol Hill (105 Univ. Ave. West in St. Paul\u00a0 Tour will join the Land Stewardship Project\u2019s Family Farm Breakfast & Day at the Capitol.\u00a0\u00a0 Info?\u00a0 http:\/\/landstewardshipproject.org\/events\/item\/114<\/a><\/div>\n
Tues. Feb 26th 6:00 pm \u2013 Minnehaha Free Space (3747 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN)\u00a0 \u00a0Tour will host a community forum:\u00a0 Panelists include:\u00a0 Rebecca Goodman- Wisconsin Organic Dairy Farmer, Member of Scenic Central Cooperative and Family Farm Defenders; Bob St. Peter – Family Farmer and Organizer for Food for Maine’s Future; Jose Luis Villase\u00f1or – Director and Organizer for Tamales y Bicicletas; Chrissy Sierra \u2013 Student Farmworker Alliance, Coalition of Immokalee Workers.\u00a0 Info? 612-916-9148\u00a0 or on Facebook: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/211144129027517\/<\/a><\/div>\n
Wed. Feb. 27th<\/sup> 12:00 noon \u2013 Land o\u2019Lakes Annual Meeting, Hilton Hotel (1001 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, MN)\u00a0 Speak Out Against Agribusiness and Corporate Cooperatives \u2013 Help Tell Land o\u2019Lakes It Needs to Pay Dairy Farmers a Living Wage!\u00a0 Informational leaflet and delivery of citizen petitions to Land O Lakes board.\u00a0 To sign the petition online visit:<\/div>\n
http:\/\/www.change.org\/petitions\/land-o-lakes-agricultural-and-dairy-board-of-directors-ensure-your-dairy-farmer-members-get-a-fair-price-of-2-59-gallon-of-milk<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
Nashville, TN:<\/div>\n

Thurs. Feb. 28th<\/sup> 5:30 pm Vanderbilt Univ. \u2013 exact location TBA (2201 West End Ave. in Nashville, TN)\u00a0\u00a0 Tour will host a community discussion.\u00a0\u00a0 Info?\u00a0 #901-270-9814<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people who grow food for this country \u2013 be they independent family farmers or farmworkers \u2013 are not getting paid a fair wage for their work. That has to change,\u201d said Wisconsin dairy farmer Joel Greeno of Wisconsin-based Family Farm Defenders. The organization was inspired by the success of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers\u2019 consumer-oriented \u201cpenny more per pound\u201d Fair Food Campaign, which has won agreements for higher wages and improved working conditions from some of the biggest fast food companies in the world. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Family Farm Defenders has launched a similar effort — the Land O’Fakes campaign —which calls on consumers to demand that Land O\u2019Lakes pay its member farmers a living wage for their milk. Land O’ Lakes is a dairy cooperative, but as one of the biggest dairy processors in the nation, it has dramatically driven down the price farmers are paid. Consumers are asked to demand that Land O’ Lakes stop manipulating dairy prices through speculative trading and stop pushing costly genetically modified hormones and seeds on their member farmers.<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Farm Labor Reality Tour will conclude in Immokalee, Florida, on March 2 to begin a two-week, 175-mile March for Rights, Respect, and Fair Food<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> led by the CIW. <\/span><\/span><\/span>The march is expected to draw together thousands of people to call on grocery giant Publix to help end farmworker exploitation and support the innovative Fair Food Program<\/a> \u2013\u00a0a unique collaboration between Florida\u2019s tomato growers, major retailers, and farmworkers, setting the standard for social accountability in the domestic produce industry by ensuring respect for farmworkers\u2019 rights and dignity.<\/p>\n

The Farm Labor Reality Tour is coordinated by a coalition of grassroots farm labor organizations with <\/span><\/span><\/span>support<\/span><\/span><\/span> from <\/span><\/span><\/span>WhyHunger<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>. To get involved or join the tour, contact Bob St. Peter (contact info below).<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span>Supportive organizations are also invited to <\/span><\/span><\/span>send letters of support for the tour<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>, the Land O<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/span>Fakes campaign, and\/or the CIW March for Rights, Respect, and Fair Food.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Financial contributions to help with video documentation, travel scholarships for people or groups who want to join the Farm Labor Reality Tour, and the Land O Fakes campaign are also most welcome.<\/p>\n

You can make a tax exempt donation to Family Farm Defenders in support of the caravan through Razoo!<\/p>\n

\"Online<\/a><\/p>\n

Press coverage of the tour so far:<\/p>\n

Maine farmers, labor leaders to draw attention to plight of dairy farmers<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n