The War and Rural America Public Forum

The War and Rural America Public Forum took place Sept. 8th, 2007 in Manhattan, New York.

Click on the distinguished speakers’ names below to see videos of their presentations.

• Dr.William O’Hare, author of The Carsey Institute Report: U.S. rural soldiers account for disproportionately high share of casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Nadia McCaffrey, Gold Star Mother and founder of Veterans Village
• George Naylor, President, National Family Farm Coalition
• Ronnie Cummins, President, Organic Consumer Association
• Michael O’Gorman, Farms Not Arms co-chair and Farmer-Veteran Coalition
• Donna Jacobs, Not This Time Vets
• Will Allen, Farms Not Arms co-chair, and author, Cedar Circle Farms
• Jim Goodman, Family Farm Defenders
• Matt McCue, Iraq war veteran, Peace Corps volunteer, member, Farms Not Arms

Issues discussed:

• The effect of the wars on our farms and our rural communities.
• How the loss of young people, the rise in fuel prices, and the loss of financial support are adding to the already existing crisis of loss of farmland, family farmers and job opportunity in rural America.
• Using America’s farms as healing centers for our returning veterans.
• How we can rally support for a constructive program of supporting family farms, regional agriculture, growing of bio-fuels and creation of work opportunities on our farms for returning veterans.

For more information, contact info@farmsnotarms.org