WASHINGTON D.C. – (October 25, 2022) – As much of the political world looks to Election Day, Farm Sanctuary hosted 55 Congressional Staffers and 17 animal, nutrition, sustainability, justice, and farmer opportunity advocates to discuss food policy over vegan food and drinks. The event, held in the historic Rayburn House Office Building, comes one month after the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. According to Farm Sanctuary Federal Policy Specialist Alexandra Bookis, this is the perfect time to come together to reimagine federal food policy:
“The White House Conference made clear: we need an interagency approach to food issues. We agree, and ask policymakers to go further. We also need a supply-chain-wide approach, one that prioritizes the well-being of animals, people, and the planet over maximizing profits for the nation’s biggest landowners and worst corporate consolidators.”
Farm Sanctuary, the only animal-centered organization asked to officially endorse funding for the White House Conference, sees benefit in bringing staffers together to discuss food system issues over vegan food and drinks.
“We need to elevate food system sustainability and justice issues, and we need to integrate a concern for animals. Food is at the heart of what many people care about – health, sustainability, vibrant rural and urban economies, combating environmental injustice and systemic racism. Our goal is to meet folks where they are and find common ground to build shared progress,” explained Farm Sanctuary Senior Director of Advocacy Aaron Rimmler-Cohen.
The event, sponsored by Rep. Blumenauer (D-OR) in coordination with the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, suggests so-called “alternative proteins” could be an important part of this strategy. Farm Sanctuary was quick to highlight the need for a “holistic” approach.
“Yes, we need alternative proteins because they are better, and far more sustainable than the status-quo, and the federal government has a clear role to play to support R&D and US sourcing from US farmers. But we also need Rep. Pingree’s Agriculture Resilience Act, Senator Booker’s Justice for Black Farmers Act, Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act, the Farm System Reform Act, Rep. Hayes’ Tipped Worker Protection Act, and much more. It has to be a ‘yes, and’ approach where we work together, or we’ll end up with more factory farming, more consolidation, more injustice – and that hurts everyone, animals, people, and the planet,” Rimmler-Cohen argued.
About Farm Sanctuary
Founded in 1986, Farm Sanctuary fights the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on animals, the environment, social justice, and public health through rescue, education, and advocacy. The organization provides lifelong care for animals rescued from abuse at Sanctuary locations in New York and California; fosters just and compassionate vegan living; and advocates for legal and policy reforms. To learn more about Farm Sanctuary, visit FarmSanctuary.org.
