Message received: After meeting farmers Ben Banker and Deanna Moore, Brendan Rafferty (center) sent an Instagram message about the experience. The farmers were part of a public relations event to introduce dairy farmers to New York City in November 2013.

[imgcontainer] [img:Tapped-In_Cheese-Farm_opt1.jpg] [source]NY Press[/source] Message received: After meeting farmers Ben Banker and Deanna Moore, Brendan Rafferty (center) sent an Instagram message about the experience. The farmers were part of a public relations event to introduce dairy farmers to New York City in November 2013. [/imgcontainer]

Commodity farmers of deep rural America are rarely mentioned in mainstream media unless there is a crisis.   Similarly, food movement writers and literature do not welcome commodity farmers into the fold of “local food.”  “Local farmers” are lovingly depicted almost to the point of rock-star status.  “Commodity farmers” of deeper rural regions seem to be viewed more with suspicion and in some cases, contempt.

Overseas, commodity farmers have used a variety of methods to gain public consideration of agriculture.  French farmers have elevated farmer protests to an art form.  Likewise for British dairy farmers who sent some 3,000 dairy farmers into London during a 2012 milk price decline. The farmers took their campaign to the public, calling it “SOS Dairy.”  British musicians composed an SOS Dairy theme song calling for “fair trade milk prices.” In the first international sharing of dairy farmer protest music that I know of, the British  musicians re-mixed the SOS Dairy song for California dairy farmers who were also staging milk price protests  in the streets of Sacramento during 2012.  (You can listen to it here.)

[imgcontainer right] [img:cabot2-2013.jpg] [source][/source] Plaid-jacketed farmers stroll in Times Square. [/imgcontainer]

In New York, we dairy farmers see ourselves as closer to the fray of urban food policy than farmers of other regions.  New York is a highly urban state where Big City politics can have a real impact on rural New York.  We still remember the late 1990’s when New York City politicians helped to break up the Northeast Dairy Compact.  This was an effort to stabilize milk prices for the dairy farmers Upstate.  New York City consumer advocates called this farmer collective bargaining effort a “milk tax on the poor” and the New York Times railed against “farmer cartels.”

The pendulum has swung the other way and New Yorkers are now seeking more food from Upstate New York.   Rural New York dairy farmers have been attempting to establish communications with the Big Apple and its urban food movement in a variety of ways.   In March of 2013, a group of Upstate dairy farmers tackled the Big Apple when dairy farmers attempted to meet food movement leaders. Our presentation at the 2013 Just Food conference covered dairy farmers of all sizes, with no farmer left behind.  We tried to give an accurate picture to New Yorkers of deep rural New York with photographs, statistics and maps.  We made many friends, especially media people with whom we have maintained contact.

A dairy farmer publicity “grand slam” took place on November 8, 2013.    Eighty-four Vermont and New York dairy farmers filled two red plaid buses, traveling into New York City for the “Cabot Farmers Gratitude Tour.”   Dressed alike in red plaid jackets, the Cabot Creamery farmers’ theme was to thank New York City consumers for their support.  Farmers were positioned in 75 retail stores where they distributed cheese samples, did in-store demos and posed for “selfies” with consumers.   Reports of “farmer hugging” and consumer enthusiasm in meeting actual dairy farmers came back with the farmers.    Before leaving town, the Cabot dairy farmers performed “55 Random Acts of Cheddar.”  Cheesey greetings were left at 55 fire houses, police departments and not-for-profits, thanking these professionals for their work.  The Cabot farmers cooperative did what has never been done:  delivered a massive influx of actual dairy farmers into New York City.

[imgcontainer left] [img:statefair064.JPG] [source]Empire State Farming blog[/source] A exhibit at the New York State Fair allowed visitors (at a rate of 10,000 a day) to see cows calving. The exhibit was also streamed via a webcam on the Cornell University website. [/imgcontainer]

In an effort that won them an international trade-association award, the New York State Animal Agriculture Coalition brought the cycle of life to public view at the New York State Fair. The Animal Agriculture Coalition hosted the first ever Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair last fall.  Cornell Veterinary College featured a live web so that remote viewers could watch maternal magic via the Internet.  Some 10,000 people a day stopped by to watch calves being born as proud veterinary and agriculture students were on hand to assist and explain the birthing process to the public.

The Saratoga, New York, FarmAid  concert of 2013 gave us an opportunity to show off images of deep rural farms to 25,000 concert attendees. The talent of Pennsylvania ag photographer Sherry Bunting of Farm Shine Magazine was deployed to provide FarmAid with high resolution photos of regional working farms.   FarmAid creative people transformed Sherry’s photos and others into stage backdrops.  Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews and other artists performed before scenes of  Northeast style farms and grazing herds.  A surprise appearance by then 94-year-old folk singer Pete Seeger brought the house down as the crowd sang “This Land Is Your Land” in front of a traditional dairy barn. Dairy farmers with the National Family Farm Coalition set up a display next to the family fishermen of New England.   Side by side the farmers and fishermen spoke of the need for fair prices to the people who work the land and the sea.

In October of 2013, our network of dairy farmers stepped outside of our usual dairy focus.  As Blizzard Atlas receded from South Dakota and Wyoming ranches, dairy Facebook pages complained that nothing was being said about the ranchers in national media. As ranchers reeled from losses, we dairy farmers mustered every contact we had made in New York City to help get ranchers media coverage.  Key food movement leaders were unresponsive to our requests for help in getting media coverage of the ranchers situation. In contrast, young writers at Modern Farmer Magazine and Grist took one look at photos we forwarded to provide the first urban coverage of the ranchers’ disaster.

[imgcontainer] [img:jackjohnsonfarmaid.jpg] [source]FarmAid video[/source] Jack Johnson performs at the 2013 FarmAid concert in front of images of Northeastern farms shot by Sherry Bunting. (Click to go to the video.) [/imgcontainer]

Sometimes “street fighting” is called for.  In August of 2013, an activist group called GMO Inside targeted milk as “GMO-contaminated” if the cows had eaten any GMO grain. Zeroing in on the pride of New York’s Chobani yogurt, this group advanced social media campaigns to stigmatize yogurt made from  milk that is not certified organic.  Regardless of one’s views on GMO grains, my belief is that is unfair to impugn dairy farmers who barely pay the bills while buying conventional grains as cow feed.   When GMO Inside members picketed the Manhattan Chobani Yogurt Bar denouncing “GMO Dairy,” Upstate farm women launched a barrage of polite, but firm, calls to the surprised picketers’ cell phones.  From all area codes of rural New York, our message was that we refuse to be devalued and marginalized by this campaign.   We attempted to explain realities of feed purchasing in rural New York and invited the shocked picketers to come Upstate to visit. We hope they will.

Modern technology allowed me, a country lawyer, to speak on an animal agriculture panel discussion held by the New York City Bar Association on March 20, 2014.  A flier for the event showing a corrugated tin cow barn with a few dozen cows standing in the mud caught my eye.  The flier stated that it is a known scientific fact that animal agriculture is detrimental to health and the environment.  With the thought burning in my mind that this humble tin barn was some farm family’s life, I contacted the NYC Bar Association representatives to ask if farmer stakeholders were going to be allowed to speak.  Event organizers suggested Skype technology for our first ever “dairy farmer” panelist beamed into the NYC Bar Association headquarters.  It was rewarding for me to speak as a rural lawyer to New York City attorneys and law students who not only listened but were full of questions.

Earlier this week, dairy farmers of all sizes and styles were welcomed by 300 culinary arts students at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York on March 31, 2014.  The Fabulous Beekman Boys, Brent Ridge and Josh Kiolmer-Purcell of Beekman 1802 Monday  joined farmers Sam Simon of Hudson Valley Fresh, Stuart Ziehm of Tiashoke Farm and Paul and Phyllis Van Amburgh of Dharma Lea Farm in talking about challenges faced by dairy farmers and the critical importance of farmland to New York. Future chefs were very interested in where milk comes from in New York and ways it is produced.

This has all been a learning process that may help other farmers or rural groups who are seeking greater understanding by urban populations.  Going forward, I have several suggestions:

  • Promote our talented rural writers, journalists and photographers.  Some of them are experts in their area of writing but are ignored by urban media.  Ag and rural journalists have chronicled our ups and down, pouring their hearts into our stories.  Point out their writings, photography, creative work and talents out to urban media and create linkages.  Our FarmAid experience occurred because a Pennsylvania ag photographer stepped up without hesitation to donate her work to provide real farm images.
  • Cultivate young urban writers and creative people who are willing to speak with and meet farmers of deep rural America.   While it has seemed nearly impossible to get older food movement writers to return a call, younger and hungrier writers are looking for story ideas and information.  One of my favorites is Nathaneal Johnson of Grist, who has delved into GMO’s in his online series.   Modern Farmer’s Sam Brasch was the first to cover the Blizzard Atlas in urban media while the New York Times dozed.  There are many more worthy of recognition.
  • Try to get into a city if at all possible.  If you can’t make it, ask your organization representatives to speak in and represent farmers in the cities.  If you don’t want to speak, go and listen.  Try to make use of Skype and other video conferencing technology that makes it possible for you or farm representatives to speak.  If you see an urban discussion on agriculture, do not be afraid to call and ask who from rural America is going to be on the panel. As with the New York City Bar Association, I was pleasantly surprised to be immediately invited.[imgcontainer right] [img:10a.DSC_3484-1024×680.jpg] [source][/source] Reaching out to friends of rural America is another way to get stories to a broader audience, the author says. Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson will appear with New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman tomorrow. Lewandrowski has urged Berry and Jackson to hold Bittman accountable for his slams on American agriculture. [/imgcontainer]
  • Be inclusive.  If you are speaking in the big city, don’t waste your time knocking other farmers who may not be present.  Our farmer time in the City is very valuable.  Frank discussion where the great diversity of all farmers is presented is most fruitful.  It takes a critical mass of farmers of all types to maintain any rural community.  Keep that in mind when you speak to urban groups.
  • Look for unusual opportunities and venues.  Encourage farmer creativity suited to these venues. Also, remember that a great variety of interested people exist in urban settings, too. We need to determine who they are and how to communicate with them.  The Birthing Center at the State Fair received widespread publicity in Upstate New York.  Who would have guessed that families would delight in time spent watching the miracle of a calf birth!  Make friends!  Hopefully, some of the activists we have spoken with will travel to Upstate New York this summer to visit, help us milk cows, bale hay and deliver calves.  Some members of our farmers’ network have forged some unusual friendships with the most unlikely of people we have met along the way.
  • Speak of nature and ecosystems, and what we like about rural landscapes.  Yes, we are all involved in production agriculture, but urban people need to know about what makes rural America beautiful, our ecosystem services and environmental challenges we face.  The New York City Bar Association lawyers wanted to hear about New York lands, watershed protection, biodiversity and what farmers are doing in the way of environmental improvements.  Just Food conference goers were excited to see photos of my neighbor’s solar power experiments and the efforts of average farmers to save the grassland birds.
  • Form alliances with other rural-interested groups.  Consumers were very receptive at FarmAid to seeing farmers and fishermen speaking together. The combination struck a note with many who stayed to talk and ask many questions of both groups.  At our Just Food presentation, cheesemongers and yogurt makers happily introduced themselves at our workshop as farmer supporters.  This makes me think that other similar presentations of those who work in rural economies would be helpful and create synergy.
  • Lastly, I urge you to call upon your friends for help.  There are people who are deeply sympathetic to farmers and ranchers. Do not be afraid to ask them for help. This week, I personally reached out for help from two prominent writers, Wes Jackson and Wendell Berry.  I see them as friends of rural America with many connections among well known food writers.  On April 4, 2014, Jackson and Berry will be speaking in New York City on the “future of agriculture” with food movement guru, Mark Bittman.  Mr. Bittman has repeatedly slammed milk in his New York Times columns, with little regard to the impact upon us, the dairy farmers who supply New York City with milk to drink. Others have joined me in asking that these popular rural authors present the worries of those of us who work the New York dairy lands to Mr. Bittman.  I am confident that they will follow through.

It is difficult to gauge the impact that our farmers have had.   Seeing the greater confidence of those farmers who have returned from New York City venues makes me believe that we ourselves are “breaking the sound barrier.” If we, as rural farmers, are going to talk with urban representatives on substantive issues, if we are going to demand fair prices and fair treatment for rural America, we ourselves need to speak up.  Craft your own images, rural America … or they will be crafted for you!

Lorraine H. Lewandrowski, Esq. is a lawyer and dairy farmer in Herkimer County, New York. Contact her at NYFarmLaw@gmail.com or on Twitter at @NYFarmer.

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