Agricultural Justice and Your Farm

This workshop is for farmers and farm employees focused on improving labor policies and employer-employee relationships. Led by Elizabeth Henderson, organic farmer and co-founder of the Agricultural Justice Project (agriculturaljusticeproject.org).  Come learn how you can improve working relationships on your farm with employee policies that go beyond legal requirements to agreements that are negotiated and fair. 
 
Consider enrolling in the pilot phase of the new "Food Justice Pledge" or “Food Justice Certified” program designed to provide market recognition of farms with just working conditions and prices that cover full production costs. The Food Justice label is based on the Standards of the Agricultural Justice Project. All kinds of farmers are encouraged to participate - organic, "conventional" and otherwise.
 
Cosponsored by NOFA-NY, Groundswell, Agricultural Justice Project, Cornell Farmworkers Program, and Cornell Small Farms Program. Email info@groundswellcenter.org, visit our Shopping page    here or call Katie (Registration Coordinator) at (585)271-1979 ext. 512 to RSVP.

Workshop Outline:
 
5:30    
Gather, serve potluck supper, get food, get settled at tables
 
6:00    15 min
Go around the room – ask each participant to ID self and then say one thing that they think makes for fair working relationships on a farm.
 
6:15     45 min
Introduction to AJP standards
Going beyond legal requirements, why bother?
Using self-assessment document for farmers (what the AJP standards are and what farmer needs to do to comply), discuss:
Freedom of association
Living wages and benefits
Health and safety
Learning contracts for interns
 
7:00     15 min
Small group discussions: what would this mean for my farm?
 
7:15    
10 min
report from small groups to whole group
10 min
explanation of Food Justice Pledge and Food Justice Certified
10 min
Q and A
 
7:45     15 min
meeting with farmers who want to participate in pilot
 
8:00     END