Policy & advocacy amplifying

farmer & rancher voices

KTA’s policy and advocacy work focuses on both elevating producer perspectives and leadership in policy creation alongside supporting clients and communities through crisis.

We collaborate with partners on policy initiatives that reflect the needs of regional producers and expand their representation. Additionally, we show up for clients navigating crisis by activating community support for their well being and livelihoods. Read on for ways you can join us in these efforts.

Standing in solidarity

KTA has released the following solidarity statements in response to threats and harms affecting the communities we support. As needed, the page will be updated with further statements and resources.

Farmworkers’ day

  • March 31st, 2026

    Today, on Farmworkers’ Day, we at Kitchen Table Advisors are holding space for a multitude of emotions that have arisen upon learning about the deep harms Cesar Chavez caused to women and girls. As steadfast advocates for women farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers, we are devastated by this heartbreaking news, and stand in solidarity with the women who were impacted as well as with the community as a whole. Their pain and the pain felt across the farm-working and Latino communities should not be minimized, and we invite us all to show up with care and support as we navigate a way forward.

    With this, we are also reminded of the collective nature of movement work. The farmworker movement and the continued advocacy for equity within our food system is not something that is held by any individual - rather, it is sustained by all of us who participate, bringing community power and a collective wisdom and care that surpasses any individual contribution. The farmworker movement is composed of thousands of individuals who continue to fight for equity now, even as they face inhumane and increasingly violent treatment by ICE. It is our duty, now more than ever, to stand with them. Community has always been at the core of our work, and will continue to bring us collective strength and power as we come together in solidarity.

    We invite our community, today and in the days to come, to reflect and learn about the history of the farmworker movement, to show up with care and thoughtfulness for the people in need now, and to remember that the movement is rooted in our collective power and impact.

    To learn more about the history of the farm-working movement as well as current farmworker experiences, please explore the following resources:

ICE HAS NO PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITies

  • January 27th, 2026

    Dear KTA Community,

    In light of the increasing violence affected by ICE, our hearts are with those who have lost loved ones to ICE and continue to experience harm and terror. ICE’s persecution of people, regardless of immigration status, has no place in our communities.

    As we face these relentless atrocities, KTA is elevating what we continue to believe in and cooperatively build toward. Our team is still here, doing the work of creating equitable community-based food systems alongside a beautifully diverse and talented group of farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and more. The solutions for a different kind of world are already known among our communities – let’s continue catalyzing these ideas and visions together.

    For ways to support folks threatened and harmed by ICE, check out our solidarity actions list below. If this resonates with you as well, please reshare.

    In community,
    Team Kitchen Table Advisors

Supporting Immigrant Communities

  • June 26th, 2025

    Dear KTA Community,

    A few months ago, you heard from our team about how the communities we support and are a part of have been threatened and harmed by the Trump administration. Since this time, xenophobic attacks on immigrants – including ICE raids and abductions across rural and urban communities – have only intensified. There is an increasing powerlessness immigrant communities are living with, impacting their safety, financial livelihoods, and more.  

    KTA continues to stand for the rights, wellbeing, and self-determination of immigrant communities. We value immigrants first and foremost as talented and powerful individuals. While their contributions to our food systems are undeniable, their dignity and humanity matter most. We firmly believe they deserve recognition, opportunity, and the ability to live free of persecution. 

    KTA is grateful to our client farmers and ranchers, staff, programmatic partners, and community members who are raising their voices in support. If you’re looking for a way to join our collective advocacy, take a look at the resources from KTA in the section below or visit this resource page from our friends at CAFF.

    In community,
    Team Kitchen Table Advisors

Presidents’ Day: A Day for Solidarity

  • Dear KTA Community,

    In the past month, the chaos and harm affected by the Trump administration has endangered many of the diverse communities we uplift and the ecosystems we seek to protect at KTA. The administration’s promotion of destructive narratives* and stripping of rights and protections have directly threatened the safety and livelihoods of folks particularly within BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant communities.

    Among our farmer and rancher clients and their families, the impacts have been life-altering. Some fear leaving their homes or for the safety of their employees commuting to work owing to ICE threats. Farmers and farmworkers are grappling with how to prepare for raids, with some choosing to not attend farmers markets to safeguard their families. Simultaneously, due to the federal funding freeze, clients have cancelled farm-to-school programming. Others wait for word on government funding for critical farm equipment, in some cases for projects that support the self-determination and collective power of marginalized producers.

    As an advocate for under-resourced producers facing systemic inequities, our team at KTA remains undeterred in our commitment to serving and celebrating these communities. We continue to lead with centering people, prioritizing their safety, well being, and autonomy in the face of xenophobic and racist attacks. In recent weeks, we’ve activated our response in collaboration with allied organizations, particularly the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and HEAL Food Alliance, to mobilize shared resources and unify our voice. While our collective response continues to evolve, we have been connecting with clients to understand their experiences and needs, share relevant information, and support the spaces they are convening for mutual aid.

    Knowing that every small action contributes to a stronger, collective momentum, we encourage you to take action today in support of these communities. The Trump administration’s approach is one of fear and division, which is why this is precisely the moment to do the opposite – to step into action, community, and our shared humanity.

    On this Presidents’ Day, let’s deepen our solidarity toward creating a just and resilient farmer and rancher-led food system in the next four years and beyond.

    In community,

    Team Kitchen Table Advisors

    *An example of a destructive narrative is that immigrants entering the U.S. are criminals. Sources: The Marshall Project & Los Angeles Times

How You Can Take Action Today

This list reflects ways to show up in solidarity with communities we support. It is by no means exhaustive. We invite you to get in touch if you have recommendations for additional resources or ways to collaborate.

    • People’s voices are crucial to ensuring our representatives know the direct impacts on communities and that the current administration needs to be held accountable.

    • Support immigrant communities during threats of deportation. 

  • if you’re able to contribute financial resources to help our clients bridge this time of financial uncertainty and chaos. 

  • or any small farmer or rancher, for that matter, wherever and whenever you can to support their financial livelihoods. 

  • Turn to Civil Eats’ Food Policy Tracker.

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

  • California Farms and Farmworkers Attempt to Recover From Record Floods - Modern Farmer

    While the state assesses agricultural damage from a historic deluge, official tallies may overlook an important segment of the industry.

  • Migrant Farmworkers Have No Safety Net in the Face of Catastrophic Flooding - Truthout

    Truthout’s piece documents the devastating impacts of both the 2023 winter storms as well as climate change at large on California’s farmworking community, highlighting the state-level advocacy work to support this community.

  • ‘I want to be heard’: Half Moon Bay farmworkers struggle in ‘deplorable’ conditions - LA Times

    This article reports on the poor living conditions of many farmworkers in Half Moon Bay among rising real estate prices, exploring how the 2023 massacre of seven farmworkers re-illuminated this long-standing problem. The story features KTA clients Veronica Mazariegos-Anastassiou of Brisa Ranch and Caleb Barron of Fogline Farm as well as KTA partner Rita Mancera, Executive Director of Puente.

  • How did rain affect California farmers? - Napa Valley Register

    In this 2023 Pages from a Farmer article, KTA Senior Farm Business Advisor and Sun Tracker Farm owner Carine Hines speaks to how climate change will continue to alter agriculture in California for years to come, discussing storms, drought, and changing seasons.

  • En vivo: Univision 14 Área de la Bahía - Univision

    Starting from minute 16, this Univision interview of KTA clients María Morales of JM Farmers Organic, María Catalán of Catalán Family Farm, and KTA Associate Regional Program Director Tania Zuñiga highlights the harsh impacts of the storms on farmers and their businesses.