| Agricultural Justice
Project
RAFI-USA has been organizing stakeholders around the need
for social justice standards in organic and sustainable agriculture
since 1999. RAFI-USA and non-profit partners Comité
de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas/Farmworker Support
Committee , Northeast
Organic Farming Associationand Florida
Organic Growers/Quality Certification Services came
together to form the Agricultural Justice Project (AJP) to
address this need. Now, the Agricultural Justice Project
has internationally-vetted standards, a pilot on the ground
in the Upper Midwest, and growing interest from farmers, food
co-ops, and NGOs all over the United States. Check out
the AJP’s
website for more information.
Domestic Fair Trade Association
RAFI-USA is on the steering committee of the newly-formed
Domestic Fair Trade Association, a coalition of 33 farmers,
farmworker groups, non-profits, food processors, marketers,
and co-op retailers. The group convened its charter
membership meeting on November 30, 2007 at Organic Valley
headquarters in La Farge, Wisconsin. These diverse stakeholders
are coming together to create a new model for the future of
US agriculture. Read the principles of the Domestic
Fair Trade movement here.
National Organic Coalition
RAFI-USA coordinates the National Organic Coalition (NOC),
a national alliance of organizations working to provide a
“Washington voice” for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists,
animal welfare activists, consumers and progressive industry
members involved in organic agriculture. All organizations
in the Coalition have organic agriculture reform as an organizational
priority and must meet certain criteria for membership.
More information about the National Organic Coalition is here.
Organic Integrity
RAFI's program to maintain strong environmental and
humane standards for organic production and processing, both
domestically and internationally. The aim is a form of organic
agriculture that works for organic growers and gives consumers
clear marketplace choices about what kind of food supply they
want to support.
Eco-Labels
Actions by RAFI and many partners to establish tools,
organizing and analysis to support the growing "family
of labels" that will give small- and modest-size farmers
marketplace rewards, while giving consumers the choice of
food that is organic or has particular environmental and place-based
claims.
Social Justice Standards
Food labels with verifiable claims about such values
as farmers' rights, farm workers' rights, fair trade and indigenous
peoples' rights.
Biodiversity
Activities to reinvigorate publicly held plant varieties
and animal breeds to meet increasing environmental challenges
and changing consumer demands.
Biotechnology
RAFI has long asked key societal questions about
who benefits, who loses and who pays with the introduction
of genetically engineered (GE) foods. RAFI advocates for independent
socio-economic, environmental and safety testing prior to
introduction of GE foods, clear labeling of GE foods and strict
liability for the patent-holder and seller.
Working nationally and internationally, RAFI’s Just
Foods program promotes the development of meaningful standards
for organic, a comprehensive set of labels identifying food
grown in environmentally sound and socially just ways, and
improved certification programs. It helps farmers and consumers
understand diversity’s importance in agriculture, and
emphasizes the ways in which GE foods could jeopardize the
livelihood of farmers and long term food security. In addition,
the program creates new and expanded production, marketing
and research opportunities for sustainable and organic farmers. |
