Dear Virginia Resident,

Friends of Urban Agriculture (FOUA) is committed to supporting our community through these uncertain times. We are also firmly committed to our Federal, State, and Local Governments' Public Health & Safety guidelines and measures.

Throughout the US, many States are including Farmers Markets as essential businesses with the same prioritization as grocery stores and other retail food distribution entities. In Virginia, Farmers Markets are not explicitly listed as "essential". As such, municipalities are left to interpret Virginia's current ambiguous executive guidance.  

Should Farmers Markets remain closed, or in restricted operating protocols, Virginian consumers will lose access to fresh, nutritious food and produce, and be forced to buy food from crowded, indoor grocery stores which may further exacerbate COVID-19 transmission rate. Likewise, Virginian food producers and small business owners will lose their main source of revenue.

Local food production cannot simply be turned on and off like a production factory.  Fruits and veggies take weeks and months to harvest, and livestock can take years to grow to maturity. Should these small businesses shutter, it will be extremely difficult - if not impossible - for local food production to resume after COVID-19's destruction passes.

Please support Virginia Farmers Markets by signing your name and email to this petition. FOUA will collect your name and contact information and include it in our letter of support to Virginia Farmers Market Association (VAFMA), who is formally petitioning the Commonwealth's Leadership to allow Farmers Markets to remain open.

Please share this link (https://forms.gle/hzvvAkUK5WasP9YZA) to your friends, families, and loved ones.

Please respond by 5pm Wednesday, March 25th

Read FOUA's Letter to VAFMA: https://mcusercontent.com/7dbe36a24de835ee0ad732363/files/5bba9e2a-f5d7-4709-b2a3-d613d49b7460/FOUA_Letter_to_VA_Farmers_Markets_Association.pdf