NCG’s member-informed advocacy guidelines emphasize the importance of social justice within our food system. Farmworkers in the United States face enormous physical, economic and psychological challenges in order that people across the country may eat. Food co-ops, like other grocers, would have nothing to sell if not for the labor of farmworkers. It is a relationship between essential workers — and joining together, we can strengthen each other.
Introducing Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
On behalf of your NCG Advocacy & Sustainability team, I’m excited to introduce NCG’s newest advocacy partner, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas (National Alliance of Farmworker Women). This national nonprofit is the first national women farmworkers’ organization, created by current and former women farmworkers, along with women who hail from farmworker families.
Alianza’s mission is to unify the struggle to create broader visibility and advocate for changes that ensure farmworkers’ human rights. Their advocacy efforts are focused on the intersection of gender, migrant, labor and climate justice — working for sustainable and healthy communities where farmworkers and their families can live well and thrive.
Educating Congress about Harms of Pesticide Exposure
NCG is contributing financially to Alianza’s programs and federal advocacy efforts focused on raising awareness of the devastating health issues endured by farmworkers as a result of exposure to pesticides on the job. Miscarriage and birth defects are rampant; in a recent meeting with members of la Alianza, campesinas told us their stories of pain and loss related to pesticide exposure and indicated that every farmworker family has been touched in some way by pesticide health issues.
Farmworker Food Sovereignty
In addition to federal advocacy, Alianza’s work on pesticides also includes a national program called the Mother Earth Project, which draws upon ancestral knowledge and experience that exists in farmworker communities to produce fresh, pesticide-free foods for themselves. Because wages for farmworkers are low, these foods are not otherwise affordable. The Mother Earth Project helps farmworkers gain access to unused land for community gardens. This includes lobbying for farmworker rights at the city, state and federal level so that workers in farm encampments have land access to grow their own culturally appropriate, pesticide-free food.
From la Alianza’s Executive Director
“Thank you, National Co+op Grocers, for your keen interest in our movimiento (movement) and your generous support for our Mother Earth Project in 2023 and 2024! Your donations will play a crucial role in advancing our initiatives, particularly our upcoming retreat and general assembly in Florida. These funds will enable us to engage farmworker women/campesina members to provide valuable recommendations for both our short-term and long-term efforts within the Mother Earth Project and our Initiative on Pesticides & Environmental Justice.”
– Mily Trevino-Sauceda, Executive Director Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
Why Did NCG Choose to Support this Organization?
NCG’s support of Alianza’s federal work on pesticide exposure and the Mother Earth Project aligns with our member-informed advocacy guidelines related to inclusive economies, racial equity, food justice and environmental responsibility, particularly with respect to environmental racism and food sovereignty.
What’s more, people identifying as women make up nearly half of the agricultural labor force globally. According to the United Nations (UN), when provided with the same resources as men, women’s productivity increases yields by 20-30%. Improved efficiency translates to reduced climate impact. UN studies show that investing in gender equality and women’s empowerment improves environmental conservation, poverty reduction and development of sustainable communities.
