An excellent article about what is going on with the California State Grange

[Scott McKeown]

Recently, Barry posted a Press Democrat article about changes happening with the California State Grange. Unfortunately, I and most Grangers I know felt that article did not accurately tell the story of what is really going on.

As an officer for four years with the Sebastopol Grange, including as Vice-President, it is my opinion this article, which was published early last summer, is a much more fair and accurate reporting of what is going on with the Grange movement, for those who are interested.

The first half of the article is an excellent history of the Grange. The story about what is now happening with the California Grange begins about half way through the article.

Scott
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Sunday, Jun 14, 2015, 11:53 am

West Coast Grange Wars: A Reborn Farmers’ Movement Takes on Corporate Agriculture By John Collins




On the first Wednesday of every month, Marys River Grange in Philomath, Oregon, has a potluck. Back in 2009, Marys River Grange was on the verge of folding. (Marys River Grange / Jay Sexton)

As more and more grocery shoppers refuse to write-off the origins of their food as some unsolvable whodunit, a network of sustainability minded, locally oriented farmers are working to connect those people to calories from known sources. For such farmers, and those in the communities that support them, the local Grange is a well-established ally.

Jay Sexton is Master at Mary’s River Grange #685 in Philomath, Oregon. A member of that Grange for six years, he is also the current director of the Oregon State Grange Agriculture Committee, working to advance Grange policies and promote agriculture awareness. Reminding the general public that we all depend on agriculture for the food we eat has been no small part of the organization’s mission for the last 148 years.

“The Grange has an interesting history,” says Sexton, “not just with the ups and downs of membership, but with how closely it’s been tied to big agriculture.”

In recent years, a rift has emerged between some state and local Granges and the national organization. New farmers with progressive ideas regarding the future of agriculture—organic farming practices, an end to the use of GMOs, environmentally beneficial land use—are clashing with the National Grange over its support of industrial agribusiness.

Continue reading here: https://inthesetimes.com/rural-ameri...e-west-is-wild