In this update:

* New Food Safety Bill a Mixed Bag
* Mr. Berry Goes to Washington - to promote a new vision of agriculture
* Red Wiggler Grows County's Largest Garlic Crop!
* Video Contest for Kids - "Why I'm a Victory Grower"



New Food Safety Bill a Mixed Bag

H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 30.

After intensive lobbying by thousands of local food activists, wording was added to the bill allowing special consideration for small and organic farms

At the same time, concerns remain the bill could harm small and organic farmers and food producers by applying the same fees and safety standards to them as to much larger operations. And the bill does not, unfortunately, address the underlying causes of America's persistent and evermore serious food safety crisis: factory farms and chemical-intensive agriculture. (See below for that!)

For an excellent overview of the bill and what comes next in the Senate, read this press release from the Organic Consumers Association.


Wendell Berry goes to Washington - to promote a new vision of agriculture

While Congress tries to address the chronic problem of food-borne illness and contaminants in our food system, three wise men started lobbying them and the Obama Administration last week for a new vision of agriculture and food policy, one that values local ecosystems, healthy food , rural communities - and the urban agrarians or "food citizens" who can help change our dysfunctional system. As Wendell Berry famously noted, "eating is an agricultural act."

Berry was joined by geneticist Wes Jackson and sustainable-agriculture advocate Fred Kirschenmann as the three made the case for a new food policy.

Read the Washington Post interview with these three visionary food activists here.


Red Wiggler Grows County's Largest Garlic Crop!

Who doesn't love garlic? As the old culinary proverb goes, anything not benefiting from the addition of chocolate will probably benefit from the addition of garlic.
 
As you will read in this article in The Gazette.  Red Wiggler Community Farm in Clarksburg, founded and run by MVG Advisory Board member Woody Woodroof, has produced a world class crop of garlic this year - the largest in the county. Their garlic is just one reason to "come down to the farm" as Woody always urges, and I can personally recommend Red Wiggler as a great place to visit and learn about food.

Read about Woody, Red Wiggler and their world class garlic crop here.


"Why I'm a Victory Grower" Video Contest for Kids!

Tell us why you're a Victory Grower and how that affects who you want to be and what you want to do in the future! Organized by Food Independence Day, participants in this video contest will receive  a one year membership and free packet of seeds from Seed Savers Exchange, with the top five videos to be shown at upcoming food and trade conferences in Washington, D.C.

For more information, and directions on how to participate, click here.

We have just learned that the video contest deadline will be extended from September 1 to November 25, 2009. But no reason not to get started right now!


Please send us your feedback and suggestions! Montgomery Victory Gardens is a new community, and we'd love your participation to help us grow. Let us know what's on your mind, and please send us any items, particularly about local food production, that MVG can promote. Email to info@montgomeryvictorygardens.org

Thanks!

Gordon Clark,
Project Director