Jul 2, 2020
NASCAR races at Pocono Organics to benefit family farmers
The waving green flags at Pocono Raceway on Saturday, June 27, will signify NASCAR’s return to Pennsylvania and the start of the Race for Family Farms event where Pocono Organics, Farm Aid, and Rodale Institute will celebrate and recognize the local and dedicated heroes of our food system – family farmers.
The day-long program includes two NASCAR races and will recognize farmers for keeping food on our plates during the COVID19 pandemic.
This unprecedented collaboration between Pocono Organics, Farm Aid, and Rodale Institute includes the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Pocono Organics 150 to benefit Farm Aid race and the Pocono Organics 325 in partnership with Rodale Institute NASCAR Cup Series race.
“Farmers have always worked extremely hard, but have been working even harder during the COVID-19 pandemic to serve their local communities when people couldn’t get food in stores,” said Ashley Walsh, founder of Pocono Organics, one of the largest regenerative organic farms in North America and a global center for research, education, and discovery. “One of the positive outcomes from the pandemic is a stronger, local connection between consumers and family farms.”
Recognizing the decades-long connection between NASCAR, its fans, and the American farmer – the people who fuel us all – Walsh, granddaughter of Doctor’s Joe and Rose Mattioli (founders of Pocono Raceway), wanted to bring together organizations that were dedicated to agriculture and farming to create an event to help raise resources to benefit family farms through www.farmaid.com/pocono.
“Race for Family Farms is a tremendous way to help many local farmers keep their farms open,” Walsh continued. “In my mind, it’s really simple – no farmers, no food. We couldn’t be more proud to partner with the passionate people at Farm Aid and Rodale Institute to make a difference for farmers.”
Spearheaded by Willie Nelson 35 years ago, Farm Aid is a voice and advocate for America’s family farmers. Through the Race for Family Farms campaign, Farm Aid is seeking to raise funds to support their COVID-19 Farmer Resilience Initiative and other programs via www.farmaid.com/pocono.
“Independent family farmers and ranchers are essential to every community – especially during this global health crisis,” said Steve Snyder, Development and Brand Director of Farm Aid. “We’re all relying on farmers for the good food we need, and farmers are relying on our support to help them overcome the tough challenges they’re facing. Farm Aid is proud to be participating with our friends at the Rodale Institute and grateful to Pocono Organics for sharing Farm Aid’s work for family farmers with a generous NASCAR audience.”
Rodale Institute is the global leader in regenerative organic agriculture research and education. For more than 70 years, the Kutztown, Pennsylvania institution has grown the organic movement through groundbreaking research studies, farmer training programs, and consumer education.
Pocono Organics is one of Rodale Institute’s largest satellite campuses, which is helping to expand organic agriculture and farmer training to new regions and audiences while collaborating on innovative research and outreach initiatives.
“Rodale Institute is incredibly excited to bring regenerative organic agriculture to the NASCAR audience in partnership with Pocono Organics,” said Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute CEO. “The Race for Family Farms is an opportunity for our nation’s sports fans to learn more about the critical role that organic and local farmers play in healing people and the planet. Especially in times of uncertainty, farmers need our support more than ever and we thank Pocono Organics for the opportunity to shed a light on the important work of farmers everywhere.”