180. Don Stuart with Addie Candib: No Farms, No Food

<p><strong>Farmers and environmentalists haven’t always seen eye-to-eye about the best ways to manage agricultural landscapes, but America’s farms are vital to preserving ecosystems and a stable climate.</strong> How might the two come together to unite for the common good?</p> <p><a href= "https://townhallseattle.org/event/don-stuart-with-addie-candib/">In <em>No Farms, No Food,</em> longtime farm, fisheries, and environmental policy advocate Don Stuart</a> took readers inside the political and policy battles that determine the fate of our nation’s farmland. Stuart traced the history of agriculture conservation and the development of American Farmland Trust (AFT), from its small beginnings in 1980 to a formidable constituency of farmers and environmentalists.</p> <p>With leadership from AFT, that constituency drove through Congress the first “Conservation Title” in the history of the U.S. Farm Bill; oversaw the development of agriculture conservation easement programs throughout the country; and continues to develop innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture.</p> <p>Together with Addie Candib, the current Pacific Northwest Regional Director for American Farmland Trust, Stuart discussed tactics for bringing people together to work for healthy land and a healthy food system.</p> <p><strong>Don Stuart </strong>has worked in natural resources and the environment for over 40 years, half of which included intensive legislative lobbying on farm, fisheries, and environmental policy. From 2000-2011, he served as Pacific Northwest Regional Director for American Farmland Trust, a national environmental organization that protects agricultural lands and supports their environmentally responsible management. Previously, he was Executive Director for the Washington Association of Conservation Districts and Executive Director for Salmon for Washington. Don was also the campaign manager and public spokesperson in the successful defense of a Washington statewide anti-commercial fishing ballot initiative (I-640) in 1995 and