From tariffs to conservation funds, federal policies trickle down in various ways to influence farmers’ day-to-day decision-making. Small- and mid-scale farmers are feeling the impacts of Washington lawmakers’ shifting priorities — which makes it even more critical for those farmers to make their voices heard.
Farmer Samantha Gasson operates Bull City Farm just north of Durham, NC, and has attended numerous fly-ins to meet with elected officials in Washington, D.C. alongside RAFI and other organizations. She shared some words of wisdom with RAFI on how and why farmers should share their stories with elected officials.
An empowering learning opportunity: Gasson says that although it can be daunting, speaking with elected officials and their staff was eye-opening for her in understanding how government actually works and how decisions get made. Ultimately, it’s all about sharing information and telling a story that will stick in someone’s head. “I feel like it’s very fulfilling,” says Gasson. “It really made me realize that I do have a voice, even though it doesn’t feel like it a lot of the time.”
Remember that you are the expert of your own experiences. If you’re struggling to think of what to say, don’t discount your own expertise and the power of personal experience. Gasson says that even for lawmakers who claim to be ag-friendly, most of what they know about farming comes from large-scale commodity producers. “They’re not really hearing from smaller-scale farmers. So whatever you have to say, it’s going to be new information for them, because most of them don’t know much about what you do.”
Gasson recalls a farm tour she was on that was attended by at least 50 congressional staffers. For many of them, it was the first time they had seen a humane approach to farming. One staff member, who had only previously visited CAFOs, said it made her realize how important it was to support small producers. Simply explaining your experiences as a small- or mid-scale farmer and the trials and challenges that come with that can go a long way.
Everyone can contribute in their own way. When visiting the Hill with groups like RAFI, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), or the Good Meat Project, Gasson is grateful to work with a team to nail down the message lawmakers need to hear. She shares that representatives from the hosting organization will provide guidance on the information the group needs to communicate, and farmers will support each other in sharing stories that will be the most compelling. Sometimes, she notes, you don’t even have to speak at all — it can be just as valuable to show strength in numbers by showing up and standing in solidarity with fellow farmers. As Gasson says, “You can take the role you’re comfortable taking.”
Gasson views interactions like these as both a responsibility and an opportunity to represent her fellow farmers. “You just remember that you’re speaking for a lot of other people who are in a similar situation to you. And if you’ve got some experience to draw from, or even if you’re brand new to farming and you have a story that could change somebody’s mind, that’s a chance for you to make a difference helping not just your community, but hundreds of thousands of farmers all over the country.”
“We don’t have a bunch of lobbyists, not the way the big guys do, so we have to do more of that work on our own,” says Gasson. “The more small-scale farmers who get involved in advocacy, the better off we all are as a group!”