Farmers depend on quality research. Today, some of the best local, organic research happening in North Carolina needs your name. Yup, just your name. Sign on to a letter asking legislators to include repairs to Cherry Research Farm in their disaster aid bill by NOON ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 12 .

In early October, Hurricane Matthew left a trail of destruction behind in Eastern NC; homes, businesses and infrastructure were damaged or destroyed, and several lives were lost. NC Department of Agriculture’s Cherry Research Farm in Wayne County was inundated. Cherry Farm, the field research facility of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), is a vital source of information for farmers who are engaged in local, organic agriculture. The levee at the farm has five gaping holes; even a small rise in the Neuse river could flood the farm again until the levee is repaired.

The North Carolina General Assembly will meet THIS TUESDAY, December 13, to pass a disaster relief bill to help those harmed by the flooding in the east and wildfires in the west, and we at CFSA want to make sure legislators know how important the damaged Cherry Research Farm is to CEFS and thousands of farmers across North Carolina.

CFSA will deliver a letter explaining the importance of CEFS’ research at Cherry Farm to legislators on Monday afternoon; sign on by NOON ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 12.The letter calls on legislators to invest in repairs to the facility that makes local, organic agriculture a viable business for so many farmers across North Carolina. After you sign the letter, please share this email widely with farmers, food businesses and consumers and invite them to sign on, too.

For more information about CEFS research at Cherry Farm and the damage there, visit our website.

Thank you for your support for local, organic farming!

Sincerely,

CFSA’s Policy Team