This past year was very important for us as we unveiled our brand new consumer marketplace where you can connect with local famers to find the freshest, local food and help us move to a more responsible food system. We are extremely grateful for everyone who has joined us in this new project and with Thanksgiving coming up later this week, we want to take a few moments to note what we are thankful for at Farmigo. We hope you might share your thoughts and what you are thankful for in the comments.

1. Doing What We Love

It’s said that the key to happiness is doing what you love every day. We feel passionately about the need to support local farmers and to bring about a more sustainable agricultural system. At Farmigo, we love to create technological solutions that can help our community achieve this goal. We are extremely grateful that we have the chance to be a part of this movement and to connect you with the incredible farmers who are leading this effort.

2. The Freedom to Choose What We Eat Everyday

With 852 Million food insecure people in the world, we are incredibly thankful that we are able to choose what, when, and where we want to eat every day. It is an incredible freedom not to worry about hunger and to select from an amazing variety of foods. We think that freedom also brings a certain duty – to make sure that the choices we make are responsible. We can choose not only the food we love, but also food that doesn’t negatively impact the environment around us.

3. ‘Real’ Turkeys on Our Thanksgiving Table

Over the last decade, there has been a resurgence in the population of so-called “heritage” turkeys, that is, turkeys other than the standard industrial breed that is grown for economic reasons instead of quality or taste. While they are still hard to come-by, the growing numbers of these other breeds helps insure a sufficiently diverse population of turkey – a critical need in a world facing the challenges of climate change and other problems. No matter what kind of turkey is on your table, you want it to be delicious, so check out these Top Ten Turkey Tips from The Food Network to help you out.

4.The Local Food, Farms And Jobs Act

In the midst of the ongoing debate (or lack thereof) on the U.S. Farm Bill, there has emerged some positive news from Capitol Hill. The recently introduced Local Food, Farms And Jobs Act is a significant step towards getting our elected representatives to pay attention to the need for a more sustainable food system. The legislation aims to secure increased funding levels for small and local farms in the upcoming Farm Bill. We’re thankful for the congresspersons who have introduced the legislation and for the regular folks who are giving their time and energy to support important initiatives such as this.

5. You – The Local Heroes Who Make a Difference Every Day

The truth is, that everything we do depends on you – concerned, responsible consumers who care about the food they eat, and the impact that food has on the world we share. We are thankful that we live in a time and an age in which individuals can change the world through their own efforts. We are extremely excited about the future, but most of all we are excited and grateful for the incredible energy and enthusiasm that you have displayed.

Thank you.

Anyone interested in the future of agricultural policy in the U.S. has surely been following the progress of the U.S. Farm Bill that is currently making its ways through the halls of Congress. The bill is set to shape U.S. policy on a key industry that touches every corner of daily life. Whether you care about our food system’s impact on human health, its huge impact on our environment, or about the move to a more sustainable system of agriculture, the legislation currently being debated in Washington is set to shape the food on your plate for years to come.

As the debate on the bill has heated up, voices from across the web have addressed what we can expect from the bill, and what this legislation might mean for the future of sustainable agriculture. At the moment, prospects seem mixed for a full and transparent debate about the legislation.

As Tom Laskawy pointed out on a post on Grist, Congress needs to cut billions of dollars from agricultural spending, and yet that doesn’t mean that the flawed subsidy system that supports industrial farms will be reformed in any meaningful way.

“But one thing is certain; negotiators are desperately trying to maintain the annual flow of $18 billion in subsidies to the largest farmers who produce commodity crops like corn, soy, and cotton. And while there will certainly be losers, you can count on the fact that there will also be winners,” Laskawy wrote.

The bill is also being pushed through Congress at an accelerated pace, what Laskawy describes as “warp speed,” casting doubt that Congress is sufficiently addressing how the U.S. can transition to a more sustainable food system. The urgent need for this transition was highlighted in an eye-opening post in the New York Times from Mark Bittman with this startling fact:

“Incredibly, however, we are net importers of fruits and vegetables, foods that our land is capable of growing in abundance and once did. Most of our imports are from Mexico, Chile and Canada, but fresh fruits and especially vegetables are shipped here from all over the world, with significant quantities coming from as far away as India, China and Thailand. And those imports are growing.”

That the U.S., with its rich abundance of arable land, needs to import fruits and vegetables is one of the clearest signs that we need to reorder our food priorities. There are however some signals that leaders in Washington are beginning to take notice of this issue. Agriculture.com noted that recently, a new proposal was laid out that called to “help farmers and ranchers by addressing production, aggregation, processing, marketing, and distribution needs to access growing local and regional food markets.” While this initiative is an important step, there needs to be a much deeper and open debate about these issues. Please add your name to a petition calling for an open debate on the Farm Bill. Our government representatives need to know that the silent majority wants smart legislation that moves us closer to a more sustainable agricultural future.