Happy Food Day!

Today is the day that thousands of foodies, farmers, and farm supporters come together to celebrate healthy food, sustainable agriculture and vibrant farming communities.

We can’t think of a better way to celebrate nutritious food and growing farms than by speaking up for the beginning, local and sustainable farmers who make it possible! NYFC has reported to you a lot over the past couple weeks about the FDA’s food safety regulations and the need to act.

This past Sunday was NYFC’s National Day of Action to Save Local Farms, which brought activists and eaters alike out to nearly seventy events (some events are yet to happen). Folks young and old poured into living rooms, barns and classrooms to discuss the rules and write fantastic comments to the FDA. And we can’t thank you enough – you made our (food) day!

Today, though, is the perfect day to take action if you haven’t already. We’ve got some great analysis of how the rules will impact beginning farms (and what should be changed!) available here. It may be too late to plan a letter-writing party, but you can take action in just a few minutes by submitting a comment directly to the FDA. Our partners at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition have put together a great tutorial to walk you through the comment process.

This isn’t another one of those “click here to sign a petition” things – this will take a few minutes, but it will have a meaningful impact. The FDA is going to read through every one of these letters and they will make change if they hear from you why it’s necessary and how your farm is affected. Celebrate this Food Day by taking a few minutes to acquaint yourself with the regulations and then sending a comment to the FDA.

After all, what’s the “food” in your Food Day? Local? Sustainable? Healthy? Let’s keep it that way!