The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) works to create change along the entire food system, from the farmer’s field to the eater’s plate. One method to create such change is through their engagement in policy development and regulatory action in both North and South Carolina and in Washington, D.C.
Recently, CFSA took over management of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm in Concord, NC, giving the organization a physical location to demonstrate the potential impacts of impending food safety regulation. To illustrate their point, they hosted Senate staffers to hear directly from farmers about the excessive burdens these proposed rules place on small farms. On the national level, CFSA has provided comments and direct appeal to the Food & Drug Administration outlining ways to improve the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act for a diversity of farms.
CFSA says: “With the amazing name recognition that Farm Aid brings to the table, CFSA is able to make the very dry topic of food safety more interesting. In the short term, we are able to make real change by talking to the decision makers in Washington…The opportunity for policymakers to hear directly from farmers is a tremendous chance to have lawmakers hear how policy impacts the farmer.”
