NATIONAL FAMILY FARM COALITION
WINTER MEETING
Progressive Agriculture Organization Members Brenda Cochran, Westfield, PA and Tina Carlin, Meshoppen, PA, represented the organization at National Family Farm Coalition's (NFFC) Winter meeting. This meeting was held at Pearlstone Center, outside of Reisterstown, Maryland on February 16-18, 2008.
Members arrived on Saturday evening and started the meeting with a very nice dinner. After dinner the different groups that were represented had an opportunity to write down four current activities related to the campaigns that the member organizations have been working on over the past year. They were asked to highlight what they believe would be the number one item that needs the most urgent attention. For those representing dairy it was definately unanimous among the dairy farmers in the room that COST OF PRODUCTION was the main focus for dairy. As a side topic the current petition in front of the Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) to change the definition of milk to include Ultra-Filtered Milk. We believer this is because they want to be able to make the imports and domestic production of Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) legal. MPC currently is an illegal food ingredient with no current FDA approval or Generally Recognized at Safe (GRAS) status. How do we progress on campaigns and issues? Family Farm Defender's member John Peck is making up post cards for people to send in to FDA regarding the definition of milk. These postcards are for farmers and consumers alike. The more of them that we get around to consumers, the better chance we have of shooting this down. If you would like post cards, you can contact John at the FFD office in Madison, Wisconsin at 608-260-0900 and he will send you one or many to pass around.
Sunday was a get down to business day. Several issues were discussed and were looked at and summarized. Work was done on the Vision and Mission Statement, and other organizational business was discussed and worked on. There was a break out session in the late afternoon where members broke down the different issues to be discussed and worked at forming a way to tweak these isses. Also, nominations for offices were made for the Executive Committee and for Committee At-Large members with elections to be held on Monday. The nominations were as follows: Ben Burkett, Mississippi, for President, Dena Hoff, Montana, for Vice President, John Kinsman, Wisconsin, for Secretary and Bill Christison, Missouri, for Treasurer. At-Large Director nominations were: Joel Greeno, Wisconsin, Bryan Wolfe, Ohio, and Adam Barr, Kentucky. Joel Greeno, Kendall, Wisconsin, Bryan Wolfe, Rome, Ohio and Loren Lopes, Turlock California, were not able to be present at the meeting so they were present via conference call.
Monday, nominations were opened back up with an At-Large nomination of Tina Carlin. Pennsylvania, being made by FFD's representative John Peck. Those up for nominations were asked to give a little background on their involvement in farmiing. All four Officers were elected and all four At-Large Directors were also elected. Break out sessions were done to finalize different issues of concern that were raised at the meeting. All in all this was a very good meeting. There was a lot accomplished and plans are being made for the Summer meeting. Issues that weren't resolved and items that need to be gone over in more detail will be discussed then.