Consolidation in Organic Agriculture - CCOF

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MEMBERSFROM R U BBERB O OTS TOS C HOOL B O OKSBy Raquel GarciaLO TS OF KIDSgrow up inanenvironment that onlyextends to the boundaries of their two-acreyards. My sister Jennifer Garcia and I, on theother hand, were raised on an organic ricefarm where the boundaries of our back yardwere as endless as our childhood imaginations.Our pets were not limited to the ordinarycats and dogs of normal households butinstead included all sorts of wildlife rangingfrom tadpoles to turtles and even to ducks.I was a bright-eyed wild forest creature thatwas ready to explore the great outdoors, runningaround in rice patties and ponds outfittedin rubber boots and armed only with asmall net and my unrestrained imagination.Never in my wildest dreams would I thinkthat all of this would eventually lead to somany more experiences and opportunitiesthat would shape my life forever.Due to my family’s involvement in andcommitment to sustainable agriculture andwildlife-friendly farming I have been grantedsome phenomenal opportunities. We wereinvited to participate as a farm family inPresident Clinton’s National Rural Conferenceat Iowa State University. President Clinton,Vice-President Gore, and Secretary ofAgriculture Dan Glickman were interactingwith panels of everydaycitizens and respondingto their concerns. Ilearned first hand thatissues that affect mylocal community can beinfluenced by individualssuch as myselfthrough leadership.While attending theconference my fatherand I went to a receptionthat was held in alaboratory for new agriculturalideas. Thereception was the firsttime in my life whenadults spoke to me as ifI were an adult myself. The experience wasalmost a coming out or a breaking throughfrom adolescence into adulthood for me.University professors and industry leaderswere asking me questions about my family’srole in sustainable agriculture and I couldspeak with them about these topics just aseasily as I could speak to my best friend. TheDean of Agriculture Sciences even extendedme an informal invitation to attend the Universityof Iowa upon my graduation fromhigh school.While still in high school my family andI were also honored guests at The JapanAgricultural ExchangeCouncil (JAEC). Werepresented the UnitedStates at The InternationalFarmers Forumat Akita, Japan. Weshared our experiencesand ideas on sustainableagriculture andspent a week touringthe rice growingregions. While visitingJapan I fell in love withthe food and the culture.The buffets offood that were set outfor the parties andRaquel Garcia with father, Allan, of Living Farms.receptions was sobeautifully prepared and displayed that onealmost felt guilty about eating the culinarymasterpieces. One of the most memorableexperiences that I had while in Japan waswhen my family and I were given the opportunityto visit a Shinto Temple. It was a lifealtering experience smelling the sweetincense burning while watching as people tiesmall pieces of paper with prayers on themPage 10CCOF Magazine
to various places about the temple. Thatmoment was my first exposure to the ancienteastern religions and philosophies that I havesince been so fascinated with. The Japaneseculture had such a great respect for the landand the hard work needed to keep it withinone’s family. They made me feel proud of myrural background and made me want towork even harder to keep my own family’sland so that it may be passed on to the generationthat will follow me.At these conferences and others, such asThe National Oceans Conference with formerPresident Clinton and former Vice-President Gore, my horizons opened upbeyond my rural existence, and I saw a muchbroader view of the world. These conferencestaught me that I had a voice which could beheard and that if you believed in somethingstrong enough and was willing to work hardand fight for it you can change the world.Being raised in the country and experiencingwondrous opportunities like theseconferences has helped to give me a uniqueperspective on life. I have grown up withholistic thinking and a greater connectionto nature and the world around us. Lots ofkids grow up in one dimensional lifestyles,but for me growing up in the country hasprovided me with certain values, made mea more well-rounded individual, and givenme the ability to leap into and understandother cultures. My upbringing on the farmhas influenced every part of my life, eventhe areas of study that I have undertakenwhile in college. I am a graduating seniorthis year at the University of San Diego finishingoff my major in Business Administrationbut all the while still staying trueto my roots by studying Native AmericanReligion particularly in the area ofShamanism because of their connectionsto the earth.While in school I am still astonished atthe ignorance of people as to where theirfood comes from and how it’s provided tothem. Each time I am asked about where Iam from or what my parents do for a livingpeople are always quick to implement thewidely used but horribly mistaken stereotypeof farming by making a funny commentabout seeing me in a rice field dressed inoveralls and a straw hat with a sickle in myhand. I am always quick to re-educate theselaymen in the truth about what farming hasbecome in the 21st century. After enlighteningthem on all the technology that my familyalone implements on our farms, includingthe seeding of our rice fields using globalpositioning systems, I leave them completelyawestruck and open mouthed.Today, I continue my quest to educate byworking for my family’s business, LivingFarms for which I am an equal partner, asthe Environmental Education and PublicRelations Director. I organize and coordinatetours and educational events on ourfarms to a broad spectrum of individualsranging from foreign dignitaries, industryleaders, school teachers, and even gradeschool children. One of our latest eventswas a tour at our organic rice operation onthe Consumes River Preserve this last summerduring the Ministerial Conference andExpo on Agricultural Science and Technology.In conjunction with the EcologicalFarming Association and CCOF, attendeesfrom the conference, including two agriculturalministers fromSri Lanka, weregiven the opportunityto tour ourorganic farmingoperation.While I am enjoyingthe work that Iam doing for LivingFarms I am constantlylookingtowards the everexpanding horizonof my future, wonderingwhere thenext chapter of mylife will take me. Thechoices are endless.Right now I amlooking into applyingfor a possible jointdegree program thatwould include lawand business. Ihaven’t decidedwhether I would liketo pursue the lawdegree to the fullestand perhaps become a water attorney ormaybe take a different route by becoming aprofessor and continuing my own educationand the education of others. No matterwhich path or degree I choose to follow, bothwill be strong tools that will be helpful inorder for me to influence the ever changingworld around me, and help me to preservethe country that has forever changed my lifeand become such a part of my soul.Winter 2003–2004 Page 11
Page 1 and 2: California Certified Organic Farmer
Page 3: Anna Alexis Dery was born onOctober
Page 6 and 7: Heffernan believe that although the
Page 8 and 9: estrictions on corporate involvemen
Page 10 and 11: MEMBERSOrganic Farming: Proactive E
Page 15 and 16: PROGRAMSNRCS &ORGANIC FARMERSBy Jes
Page 17 and 18: VValley Center is the avocado capit
Page 19 and 20: what it’s supposed to, but at som
Page 21 and 22: EDUCATIONPhoto courtesy of Life Lab
Page 23 and 24: occur (e.g., rose mosaic). Parasiti
Page 25 and 26: public and conventional farmers on
Page 27: health, environmental and economic
Page 31 and 32: American Farmland Trust and the Uni
Page 33 and 34: iotech foods were introduced, the i
Page 35 and 36: CCOF in order to verify compliance,
Page 37 and 38: the food processing or handling fac
Page 40 and 41: NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARDREP
Page 42 and 43: BRAND NAME OF PRODUCT SUPPLIER GENE
Page 45 and 46: CCOF CERTIFIED OPERATIONSAUGUST 16
Page 47 and 48: CALENDARJ ANUARY 21-24Ecological Fa

Consolidation in Organic Agriculture - CCOF

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