Food and Water Watch

Lately, I've been looking harder at what I, or anyone, can actually DO about the problems associated with factory farming.  I've found a few different organizations (some more radical than others), and I thought I would bring one I think has real promise to your attention, dear readers. 

Food and Watch is a group working hard across the country to lobby for legislation that would bring change to current factory farming, but it goes a step further than I have been taking it and also incorporates fishing and water supplies into their mission.  Whether you take issue with any of these industries or I not, I think we can all agree with the groups vision for our future: "We envision a world where all people have access to enough affordable, healthy, and wholesome food and clean water to meet their basic needs — a world in which governments are accountable to their citizens and manage essential resources sustainably."  Anyone have a problem with that?

If you're like me, and you want to see meat and produce (or fish and water) produced in a way that is healthy, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, you should take a closer look.  They have lots of little ways you can help out, as well as ideas to really raise awareness in your community.  For example, you could simply sign up to receive alerts from the site about important food-related legislation.  Right now, they are lobbying for a bill to ban genetically modified salmon which was recently approved by the FDA.  Maybe think about writing to your congressman to let him/her know you don't support the FDA's decision.  And as far as raising awareness, Food and Water Watch is organizing events across the country to raise awareness about the upcoming Farm Bill.  Every few years, a new Farm Bill is passed which defines how agriculture must be run and regulated for a period of time.  Unfortunately, the last few Farm Bills have been targeted at increasing profits for major companies and providing subsidies for crops we really don't need (i.e. corn, which the country is producing a massive surplus of).  Food and Water Watch hopes that by holding these events, people will be more interested in taking a stand on the bill to be passed this year.  Just by checking out their website, you can find out if there is an event near you to help out with, or even sign up to host one.  There are a lot of ways to help make a change in the farming industry right now, and in a country that is becoming increasingly apathetic, it's important to remember that.