Dear John,

We're proud to participate in the Mass Poor People’s Assembly and Moral March on Washington Digital Gathering taking place on June 20. This online event will be led by Reverend William J. Barber II. 

We first met Reverend Barber before the Farm Aid 2014 festival in North Carolina where he gave the keynote address to our gathering of farmers and farm and food advocates from across the country. At this event he spoke of the tenets of his Poor People’s Campaign: education, anti-poverty support, healthcare, environmental protection, fair wages and jobs, labor rights, and the rights of immigrants, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and LGBT people. Learn more about the march and hear a clip from Reverend Barber explaining how these issues are connected to farmers and rural people, and all of us, on our website.

Julia Coffey is the owner and operator of MycoTerra Farm in South Deerfield, MA. MycoTerra Farm produces organic, gourmet mushrooms indoors, year-round. But when COVID-19 struck, she knew that her work would grow beyond mushrooms:

"...As our farmers markets, and college campuses that we serve, and our restaurants were closing, I basically panicked a little bit. Those sales channels amount for about 80% of our income. And we saw them blowing up right before our eyes."

She leapt into action to create Mass Food Delivery, a food hub that now works with 28 New England farms and local food businesses, delivering throughout most of Massachusetts. Customers place their order online and receive contact-less delivery. The food goes from the producer, to the delivery hub, and straight to your door!

We're excited to partner with Pocono Organics and Rodale Institute for a series of NASCAR races. The Race for Family Farms will honor our essential family farmers and ranchers and seeks to raise awareness and funds in support of our COVID-19 Farmer Resilience Initiative and other programs.

The Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Pocono Organics 150 to benefit Farm Aid race will air live from the Pocono Raceway on the FS1 network starting at 12 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 27. It will be followed by the Pocono Organics 325 in partnership with Rodale Institute Cup Series race live on FOX starting at 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday.

We hope race fans will tune in to watch this exciting series. Learn more about the race on our website, and start showing your support  for family farmers right now by donating at www.farmaid.org/pocono