As best as we can figure, we had about 250-300 visit the reception. It was a somewhat mobile crowd, as is the nature of that type of reception, but it looked like about HALF of the people were legislative staff and congressmen. That's pretty amazing! A veteran DC lobbyist friend of mine who joined us said there were about 3 times as many people there as he had expected on a day like yesterday--in addition to the weather it was a very busy legislative day on the Hill (Capitol HIll). We suspect that probably five, or more, times as many of our people would have been there if the freak weather had not bound them in. Those who were able to come included folks from, Arkansas, Tennessee, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey and Florida, that we know of. Sid Sargent from Arkansas took a 31 hour bus ride to come, and waited in the Cannon Office Building from 8:00 a.m. until she could in to the reception; Karen Sylvester from Tennessee arrived by bus in DC yesterday morning at 4:00, stayed in the bus station until she could get in to the Cannon Building, then had to get back on the bus at 1:00 p.m. for her return home. Both Sid and Karen walked the halls delivering copies of the Talking Points to all the legislators. Thank you Sid and Karen!! We are hugely grateful for all the efforts everyone made to participate in this in any way. Every effort, from every person, matters. Those who did so much in preparation, only to be thwarted by a rare ice storm, need to know their presence was felt, even if their bodies were not there.
The Congressmen we know attended included Ron Paul, of Texas, who spoke with eloquence and passion; Virgil Goode, of Virginia, who proudly wore a VICFA button; Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, who also spoke briefly--and who has been talking openly with us about this since last summer; a congressman from New Jersey; and Congressman Salazar of Colorado. We are pretty sure there were others, so if anyone who was there knows who they were, pls. let me know. As mentioned before, there were dozens of staff aides and legislative assistants, representing their respective Congressmen and Senators. We had a great talk w/Curtis Ellis, aide to Rep. Steve Kagan (D-WI, member of the Ag. Committee) who asked us about the Farm Bill, and he sent us a copy of a press release Kagan put out that included the following: "The solution to our health care crisis will come from our farms and our diet as well as our hospitals and research laboratories. We must help our small farmers maintain their way of life." I don't know for a fact that our event was an influence, but I'm inclined to believe it was. Pete Thomson, aide to Bob Goodlatte, will become famous when we post our picture of him drinking raw milk (I must confess, I handed him a cup and said, "Drink this while we take your picture," and he did, squawking a bit after when I told him what it was, but since he later ate raw milk maple ice cream--all provided by the Amish farmers who came, I didn't feel so bad...).
Many folks had made appointments with their state legislators, and we would like very much to hear back from those folks!!!
The food was awesome. Jon and Nina White came down from New Jersey w/their artisanal raw, aged cheeses and fresh breads, and we overflowed with superb offerings from Weston A. Price folks in the DC area and dishes others drove in with from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and perhaps elsewhere. A group of about ten Amish farmers from the Lancaster, PA, area came with their exquisite raw milk, cream, butter, yogurt and ice cream. They blessed by their presence, as well as their food.
There is much more to tell. Planning has already started for next year....
Deborah Stockton, Editor
Look at some pictures from the First Annual Farm Food Voices DC
Download and print the Talking Points document from this event for your use and to distribute
•Mary Zanoni Articles on NAIS
NICFA Fund, a project of the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (VICFA), is a grassroots effort to stop the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) at the national level. The NICFA Fund supports VICFA's anti-NAIS efforts to ensure independent consumers and farmers have effective representaion at the national level in the important fight against implementation of the NAIS.
The NICFA Fund supports our grassroots efforts on Capitol Hill to protect YOUR interests, freedoms, and constitutional rights to farm and have free market food sourcing. Carl Little, legislative attorney and former Chief of Staff for Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana, is furthering our efforts to STOP NAIS and restore sanity in food policy at the national level. All monies donated to the NICFA Fund will be dedicated to fighting NAIS at the national level. No donations to NICFA Fund will be used for the VICFA general fund.
NICFA Fund Mission Statement
"VICFA opposes any government funded or managed National Animal Identification System."
For information and links about NAIS visit the VICFA website at www.VICFA.net
For a listing of support documents for VICFA and NICFA Fund including invitations, projects, and events go to Support Documents
For more information on this project, including contribution offers, volunteer opportunities, and latest news on NAIS please call us at 434-760-5514 or email at info@nicfa.org.
