Oregon is blessed with many small family farms that have somehow managed to survive in a hostile environment dominated by behemoth industrial farming operations. Friends of Family Farmers, a statewide organization working to promote and protect socially responsible agriculture in Oregon, has spent the last couple years meeting with farmers around the state to hone legislation that will create a level playing field for small family farmers trying to compete in the corporate-dominated market place. The result of this two-year process is the Agricultural Reclamation Act, that Friends of Family Farmers is working to get passed during the current Oregon Legislative session. On March 15 hundreds of farmers and supporters will gather in Salem to lobby for this bill. On this episode of Locus Focus we talk with Kendra Kimbirauskas, president of Friends of Family Farmers, about how the Agricultural Reclamation Act strives to establish a future for food and agriculture in Oregon based on family-scale farms, food security, rural economic viability and cultural connectivity. We hear what's in this bill and as well as about other pieces of pending legislation that will save the family farm in Oregon and ensure that we have healthy local food to eat.
Kendra and her husband Ivan own and operate a small farm in Colton, Oregon. Their small diverse farm includes laying hens, meat chickens, turkeys, dairy goats, pigs and horses. In addition to the animals, Kendra and Ivan raise a variety of veggies, berries, mushrooms and honey which they sell at their local farmers market and to individuals in the community.
- KBOO