Problem

New federal rules protect the rights of family farmers who raise animals under contract. These new rights are written into long pieces of legislation and complicated regulations. Without knowing their rights, farmers can't report violations or make the best decisions for their farms. RAFI organizes workshops to educate farmers on these rights and help them make the best decisions for their farm.

The Gift

Your gift enables farmers to learn about new federal laws that protect them from fraud and unfair business practices. These rights can make a crucial difference to farm families, but they are buried in obscure regulations. For instance, farmers no longer have to sign away their right to take a company to court when they sign a contract. In the past, most contracts required that farmers use arbitration to resolve any dispute with the company, even though arbitration can cost up to ten times as much and has no process of discovery or appeal. Now, farmers can choose whether or not to commit to using arbitration when they sign their contracts. However, this choice has to be made when the contract is signed, not when a dispute arises, so farmers must be educated about their rights and their choices before they sign. For a farm family in trouble, this choice can make the difference between keeping and losing a farm. Farmers who attend one of these workshops educate their neighbors, too.