Farmers & War

(This is the third installment of Small Closet Radio.)

Growing peace. In 2005, farmer Michael O'Gorman started the coalition Farms Not Arms, hoping that the world would be a better place if "the folks who have the world in their hands, literally, got together to protect it, and to protect each other." Peace activism isn't exactly part of the farmer job description, but when you hear O'Gorman talk, it makes a lot of sense -- though these days he'd tell you that his only activism is growing food. We spend this hour looking at how war impacts farmers and rural communities, and what U.S. farmers are doing about it.

The voices:
Michael O'Gorman, organic farmer, founder of Farms Not Arms, and executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
Jerry Pennick, director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives' Land Assistance Fund.
George Naylor, farmer and former president of the National Family Farm Coalition.

Listen. Use the player below to hear the show, or click "divShare" to download the mp3.