Natural & Organic Industry – Dreamers Need Our Help Now!

Hello Natural & Organic industry leaders & friends,

While I usually use this forum as a place to share industry and business news, I feel compelled to rally this community on a topic that is extremely important to me right now. I am extremely saddened by the terrible treatment of over 800,000 young DACA participants who face forceful deportation from the U.S. beginning as soon as March 9th, unless legislative leaders can make a deal to prevent this and preserve their futures. Every day matters. This is very serious stuff. Significant majorities in both parties support action, as do about 80% of our citizens, yet here we are, clock ticking, twisting lives and dreams.

DACA kids were brought to the US as children by their parents seeking only a better life and opportunity. Many of these parents are the backbone of the modern food industry: farm workers picking, packing and delivering the crops, working in food manufacturing plants and related businesses that drive the food supply chain. The fate of the agriculture and food manufacturing industry has been intertwined with theirs for many decades. I believe we have a moral obligation to treat them better and to squarely honor the promises we've made to their children who chose to register under the DACA program. DACA offered these kids a path out of the shadows, and many emerged, giving the government their personal information in good faith. Now, the government is poised to use this information to deport these very people unless a legislative solution can be reached in a matter of weeks. 

I cannot imagine the pain that this uncertainty is causing Dreamers and their families. I’ve been struggling with what I can do to raise awareness of this issue and help make a difference. It may be shouting into the darkness, but here's my personal plan. I invite all of you folks in the natural & organic food industry to join me in this effort. It can send a powerful message to Washington and will only take a few minutes of your time if this touches your heart. 

1) I will donate $25,000 to United We Dream, the nation’s largest immigrant-youth-led organization that advocates on the local and national level for the dignity of and justice for immigrants. They are a fantastic organization supporting the many needs and interests of Dreamers. If you can personally spare $5, $10, or more, this is a great investment to make. https://unitedwedream.org/ There's an easy donation link on the United We Dream website.

 2)  I’ve drafted a letter to our political leaders which you can see below. I'll send this letter to these political leaders for delivery on February 8th, 2018. If you agree with the sentiments of this letter and would like to "sign on", please make a comment at the end of this LinkedIn post! I'll incorporate all supportive comments into the package before I send it. My hope is that there are many others in the natural & organic industry who care about this as much as I do, and who will join me in this effort. It will only you take a minute or two! The more people sign on, the louder and more credible our voice will be in this effort.

Dear Speaker Ryan, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, and Leader Pelosi:

I am the CEO of an entrepreneurial company in the natural & organic food industry, a vibrant and growing $40 billion market fueled by thousands of companies and continuous innovation. Our industry was founded on strong and enduring ideals including respect for our planet and environment, improving the health & happiness of our society, social justice, as well as diversity & inclusion.      

Consistent with these values, I am writing on behalf of myself and many others in my industry to urge you to act quickly, decisively, and with compassion to pass a permanent legislative solution that will enable almost 800,000 Dreamers who have grown up here side by side all of us as Americans, to remain here in the US pursuing their lives and dreams. Furthermore, any solution should include a straightforward, transparent, and achievable path to citizenship for all Dreamers.  

We know Dreamers are productive and vibrant members of our society, and are making a difference in every community, in virtually every profession. These young people are an important part of the fabric of our society and deserve respect and far better treatment than they have been receiving from elected officials in government. It is time to get this done so these people can move on with their lives.  

Thank you for listening to our passionate request,

Best, 

John Foraker, CEO, Once Upon A Farm

We are a caring industry full of people with big hearts and compassion. I hope some of you will stand with me to add weight to this petition before I send it. Every "sign-on" matters so much! Thanks so much for your consideration and support.

Best, JF