17. Lorette Picciano, executive director of Rural Coalition

Sustainable Agriculture Policy with Ron Kroese

Lorette Picciano has coordinated unified efforts in 7 farm bill debates to secure more than 40 sections of policy to assure equal access to USDA programs for farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers.

On this week’s episode, Lorette talks with Ron about these efforts which started in 1980 in Washington, D.C. She started with several interfaith organizations on equity in food and farm policy, food security and fair trade issues, and continues this connection today as a board member with several faith and solidarity economy networks.

Since 1992, Lorette served as executive director of the Rural Coalition, an alliance of more than 60 culturally diverse community based organizations representing small producers and farmworkers in the U.S. and Mexico.

She works with Rural Coalition’s diverse board and members to promote just and sustainable development in rural areas, particularly in civil rights in agriculture. She has also worked with Rural Coalition member communities to advance food sovereignty with sister communities in North America and globally as a member of the international farmers' movement, La Via Campesina.

Her education includes a BS in Agriculture from Cornell University, and an M. Ed. from the University of Hawaii, where she was a participant in the Food Institute of the East-West Center and did fieldwork in the rural Philippines.

The interview was conducted on Feb. 11, 2016.

Links this episode:
National Sustainable Agriculture Oral History Archive (video link)
Rural Coalition

--------

Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Audible, Apple, Google, and more. Catch past episodes, a transcript, and show notes at cfra.org/SustainbleAgPodcast.