UC Privatization and Child Labor in Agriculture

UC Privatization. On November 19th, 2009, the University of California Regents approved a 32% increase in undergraduate fees beginning next fall. This fee increase, combined with program cuts, lay-offs, high administrative salaries and a growing number of administrative positions, has led to growing unrest amongst those concerned about public education in California, the U.S., and the world. Last Thursday (March 4th) served as a day of action for public education at all levels, nationwide. First, a news report on the day's local events from KDVS News Director Elizabeth Stitt and Public Affairs Director Amber Yan. Then, Dr. Karen Watson-Gegeo and graduate student Marguerite Wilson of the UC Davis School of Education discuss what the recent changes mean for the UC system and for California as a whole. For updates on UC activism, check out this site. (Interview originally aired 11/24/09. Photo courtesy of Indymedia)

Children in the Fields. Brandon Louie, California Regional Coordinator for the Children in the Fields projects, part of the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, talked about the reality of child labor in the US agriculture industry. To see the video of the movie clip played for the intro of Brandon's interview, check out this website. Brandon Louie can be contacted at louie@afop.org. (Originally aired 11/3/09)

Listen. To hear the show, use the player below. To download the mp3, click on "divShare".

Music Playlist.

"How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?" performed by The New Lost City Ramblers (Classic Protest Songs on Smithsonian Folkways)

"Don't You Let Nobody Turn You 'Round" performed by the Silver Light Gospel Singers (Art of Field Recording, Vol. 1 on Dust to Digital)

"Dakota Justice" by Peter Kater (Native American Currents on Silver Wave)

A Few Obstacles to Sustainability

Sustainable agriculture. Sustainable eating. On Local Dirt, we talk about these things a lot. That's our thing. But what does "sustainable agriculture" mean for someone who's land has been stolen, or to someone who can't get a loan to buy land or capital? And what's "sustainable food" for someone living on a small income, or someone who doesn't have time to cook? On this week's show, we look at sustainability as a slanted playing field and we discuss a few obstacles to justice and sustainability.

The Struggles of Rural African Americans. Jerry Pennick, Director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund, explains specific injustices affecting rural African Americans. He discusses land loss, lack of access to credit and markets, and discriminatory lending practices -- including by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These long-standing problems, he says, persist today. The Federation promotes economic justice, a necessary prerequisite for sustainable agriculture. To learn more about Black land loss, check out the "Torn From the Land" series here and here. For more on the Pigford case, read this news article.

Taxing Soda. UC Santa Cruz professor Julie Guthman talks about the politics of the so-called 'obesity epidemic' and how this relates to the taxation of processed foods. Professor Guthman argues that creating a healthy food system will require large economic policy changes, not simply consumer-focused changes. She is the author of Agrarian Dreams: the paradox of organic farming in California. You can also check out her article Bringing Good Food to Others which takes into consideration several of the cultural and class-related topics discussed in today's show. (Originally aired 10/13/09)

Spoken Word. UC Davis student and Sickspit poet Shannon Harney was kind enough to record a poem for us. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Listen. Use the player below to listen to the show, or click "divShare" to get the mp3.

Announcements.

- The Whole Earth Festival is currently seeking applications for bands, performers, artists, dancers, educational booths, workshops, and speakers. To apply, visit http://wef.ucdavis.edu.

- The Education for Sustainable Living Program lectures (spring quarter), Wednesdays 5:10-7pm. Students may take the class for 2 or 4 units, and anyone (student or not) can attend the lectures for free. The class aims to define sustainability broadly and consider it in new ways. Students may enroll in the class with the CRN 63662.

Music Playlist.

"Tramp" by Otis Redding (The Best of Otis Redding on Atco)

"Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground" by the Asylum Street Spankers (God's Favorite Band on Spanks-A-Lot)

"Ida Red" by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys (Legends of Country Music.... on Columbia)

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" by the Asylum Street Spankers (God's Favorite Band on Spanks-A-Lot)

The Land-Grant Story

Exploring the Land-Grant Mission. Between 1862 and 1890, two pieces of legislation known as the Morrill Acts laid the foundation for more than eighty-five land-grant colleges and universities -- of which UC Davis is one. On this show, land-grant schools: their origins, the criticism they've received, their potential, and their current state. We talk about what it will take to preserve and improve them for the future in a time of crisis and an age of privatization and globalization. First, we ask UC Davis students what they know and think about land-grant mission. Then we turn to a professor at another land-grant school. Dr. James Collier is a Professor of English and an Affliated Faculty Member in Science and Technology Studies for the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought at Virgina Tech. In 2001, Dr. Collier published a critical article on land-grant history. On Local Dirt, he explains what he thinks nearly ten years later. (Image courtesy of Iowa State University museums)

Listen. Use the player below to listen to the show, or click "divShare" to get the mp3.

News.

We didn't read any news on the air, but check out this article: U.S. Approves Settlement for Black Farmers by Carrie Johnson for the Washington Post.

Announcements.

- The Education for Sustainable Living Program lectures (spring quarter ), Wednesdays 5:10-7pm. Students may take the class for 2 or 4 units, and anyone (student or not) can attend the lectures for free. The class aims to define sustainability broadly and consider it in new ways. Student may enroll in the class with the CRN 63662.

- Village Harvest Citrus Glean this Saturday, Feb. 27, 10am-1pm. Meet in the parking lot in front of CostPlus/World Market (at Anderson/La Rue & Russell in Davis) and bike or ride from there. If it is raining or looks like rain is emminent, call (toll free) 1-888-378-4841, EXT 730 after 8 AM for confirmation of the harvest.

Music Playlist.

"El Año Viejo" by The Blazers (Roots Music: An American Journey on Rounder)

"The Long Way Home" performed by Hot Club of Cowtown (Wishful Thinking on Gold Strike)

Farm Aid and Cupcakes

Farm Aid. In 1985, Willie Nelson organized a benefit concert to help struggling farmers stay on their land. This year's Farm Aid concert will be the twenty-fifth, connecting audiences to food issues. But Farm Aid also does year-round work, connecting farmers to services, supporting farm incubators, and advocating for policy changes. In this week's show, Farm Aid's Communications Director Jennifer Fahey explains who Farm Aid serves and how the organization has responded to changes in agriculture over the years.

Let Them Eat Cake. Paulette Coffman and her two daughters Brittany and Chelsea own and operate the local cupcake bakery, Let Them Eat Cake, located on L St. between 4th and 5th in Davis, CA. The three ladies shared their backgrounds with us, how they came up with a cupcake bakery idea, and how they develop those awesome cupcake flavors, like the Dubliner, made with Guinness and Chocolate, and the Cookie Monster, stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough and covered in cookie dough frosting.

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

News.
Think-Tanks Take Oil Money and Use It to Fund Climate Deniers by Jonathan Owen and Paul Bignell on Commondreams.org
A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food Out of School by Gardiner Harris in the New York Times

Music Playlist.

"Amber Waves of Grain" by Merle Haggard (from Live From Austin, Texas on New West)

"Sheep, Sheep, Don'tcha Know The Road" by Bessie Jones & The Sea Island Singers (from Southern Journey, Vol. 6: Don'tcha Know The Road on Rounder)

"Lafayette" by Lucinda Williams (from Happy Woman Blues on Folkways)

"My Boy Builds Coffins" by Florence + The Machine (from Lungs on Universal Island)

A School Lunch Story & Fair Food Project

School Lunch. Last Saturday, The Devil Makes Three and Mad Cow String Band performed at a benefit concert for the Davis Farm-to-School Connection, working to create an educational and cultural environment in our schools that connects food choices with personal health, community, farms, and land. On this week's show, we bring you a field report from the benefit concert. Children talk about the food and gardens at their schools, adults recall their school lunch memories, and Dorothy Peterson and Talia Hack-Davie talk about the successes and projects of the Davis Farm-to-School Connection.

Fair Food Project. Alida Cantor, from the California Institute for Rural Studies (CIRS), discusses the Fair Food Project, her work with the CIRS, and how farmers are working toward providing a safe and fair environment for their workers. To find out more about how you as a consumer can help support fair food, check out the Fair Food Project website for resources and to see the Fair Food Project documentary.

Students for Sustainable Agriculture will be screening the Fair Food Project documentary on Wednesday, February 3 at 6:30pm in the Campus Center for the Environment/Project Compost Office located in Lower Freeborn Hall at the UC Davis campus.

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

Music Playlist.

"Georgia Bottleneck Blues" by Cecil Barfield (Art of Field Recording, Vol. 1 on Dust to Digital)

"East Of Woodstock, West Of Viet Nam" by Tom Russell (Blood and Candle Smoke on Shout Factory)

"Carroll County Blues" by Gordon Tanner, Smokey Joe Miller and Uncle John Patterson (Art of Field Recording, Vol. 1 on Dust to Digital)

"Pow Wow Song" by Chippewa Nation (The Mississippi: River Of Song -- A Musical Journey Down The Mississippi on Smithsonian Folkways)

Announcements. Tickets are now available (but limited) for the Vagina Monologues! Three shows: Friday Feb 12th @ 7pm, Saturday Feb 13th @ 2pm and @ 7pm. You can purchase tickets on a sliding scale of $5-15 at the Women's Resources & Research Center on the UCD Campus. 10% of proceeds go to women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with remaining proceeds benefiting My Sister's House and Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Center of Yolo County.

Haiti & Davis Superfund Site

Haiti Then and Now. As you've probably learned, on January 12th, Haiti suffered a catastrophic earthquake, followed in later days by forceful aftershocks. Democracy Now! reports that at least 150,000 have been buried; the death toll could top 300,000. According to the US Geological Survey, Haiti will remain at risk for aftershocks for months to years. On today's show, Dr. Chuck Walker, Professor of History and Director of UC Davis's Hemispheric Institute on the Americas joins us to discuss Haiti's past, current, and future situation. (Photo courtesy of DesPardes)

Davis EPA Superfund Site. Located just next to the new Target shopping center on Second street in Davis is the Frontier Fertilizer EPA Superfund site. The location became a superfund site back in the 1970s when residual pesticides were dumped by employees of the Frontier Fertilizer company. Steve Deverel, from HydroFocus Inc., came on to talk about the history of the site and what is currently being done to remediate the chemical contaminants that are still present. Check out the Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Oversight Group to find out more. (Photo courtesy of the Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Oversight Group)

Listen. Use the player below to listen to the show, or click "divShare" to get the mp3.

Music Playlist:

"Don't You Let Nobody Turn You Round" by Silver Light Gospel Choir (Art of Field Recording, Vol. 1 on Dust to Digital)

"Perfect" by Two Sheds (Strange Ammunition on Loud Mouth Soup)

"Ti Chans (Pou Ayiti)" by Masters of Haiti (Rough Guide to the Music of Haiti on World Music Network)

Bay Area Subsistence Fishing & Farm Poetry

Subsistence Fishing in the Bay Area. In the San Francisco Bay Area, many people, especially but not exclusively low-income people of color, fish for food to feed their families. But local pollution has contaminated fish near many urban areas, threatening those who eat the local catch. On Local Dirt, Torm Nompraseurt, a state organizer for the Asian Pacific Environmental Network and a resident of Richmond for more than thirty years, explains why subsistence fishing tends to be so economically and culturally important for those who do it. He explains that individuals respond differently to information about the risks -- and that for some, ceasing to fish doesn't seem to be a viable option.

Farm Poetry. Dori Stone (former Local Dirt host!) and Austin Smith share poems about agriculture and a few thoughts on how farming and poetry fit together in their lives. Dori reads her newest poem, "Happy Hour," and Austin reads "Instructions for How to Put an Old Horse Down" and "Song of the Lark." Austin's poetry has been published by Parallel Press, Longhouse, and ZYZZYVA, while Dori's non-fiction Beyond the Fence: A Journey to the Roots of the Migration Crisis was published by Food First last year.

Listen with the player below or click "divShare" to get the mp3.

Music Playlist:

"Bring Me Li'l Water Silvy" by Leadbelly (In The Shadows Of The Gallows Pole on Tradition)

"What Am I Gonna Do (With The Rest Of My Life)" by Merle Haggard (Live From Austin, TX: Merle Haggard on New West Records)

"Just One Kiss" by Beau Jocque and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers (Roots Music: An American Journey on Rounder)