Anna Obregón (Alianza Nacional de Campesinas) and Anna Pesek (Over the Moon Farm) sit down with Sarah Lloyd to discuss how federal funding cuts will affect supporting farmworkers and small scale farmers, respectively. This conversation speaks to the broad ways that funding cuts have hurt the hope for progress toward fairer, more just and resilient food systems. Less support for farmworkers and small scale farmers are steps in the wrong direction. Both panelists speak on how federal funding uplifted their work, and what their plans are for surviving in this new administration.

Facilitator and Panelist Bios:

Sarah Lloyd farms with her husband Nels Nelson in Wisconsin Dells. They are currently in transition from a multi-family dairy farm to new agricultural enterprise and conservation pursuits on their land. She works off-farm as a Supply Chain Specialist for the UMN Forever Green Initiative and the UW-Madison Grassland 2.0 Project. She also does development work with the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative. Sarah has a PhD in Rural Sociology from UW-Madison and a Masters in Rural Development from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Sarah is active in the Wisconsin Farmers Union, serving as President of her local county chapter. She is also the President of the Board of the Wormfarm Institute.

Anna Obregón, National Programs Supervisor with Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Inc. is a third-generation migrant farmworker and survivor whose unwavering dedication is transforming the movement to end gender-based violence. With over two decades of frontline and leadership experience in sexual assault crisis response, Anna has worked tirelessly to uplift communities through trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Her deep commitment to holistic healing, economic justice, and policy change has made her a trusted voice and strategic leader in building survivor-centered, adequate support systems.

Anna Pesek co-owns Over the Moon Farm, a direct to consumer farm business located in rural Delaware County, Iowa. Anna and Shae Pesek raise farrow to finish berkshire hogs, pasture raised chicken, turkey and duck, and partner with other farmers to offer their customers grass-fed beef and lamb. Relevant to the Family Farm Defenders, we were the 2024 recipients of the John Kinsman Beginning Farmer Food Sovereignty Prize.

“It all could not have happened had we not been working together.” – Ben Burkett

Anthony Pahnke (FFD vice president) sits down with Denise O’Brien and Ben Burkett to discuss their experiences in farm activism and protests nationally and internationally over the decades. They reflect on their life-long experiences being part of these movements, fighting corporate agriculture, offering perspective on current times as well.

Ben Burkett is a vegetable and soy farmer, active in the Indian Springer farm cooperative, and an active farmer during the 1980s farm crisis. He recalls protests during the Pigford v. Glickman Trials, at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, in Brussels with European farmers, among many others. Ben is the former state coordinator of Mississippi Association of Co-ops, a member of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, and former president of the National Family Farm Coalition state. Denise O’Brien is a organic farmer of 50 years, also began protesting in the 1980s farm crisis. She recalls protests from Miami’s GATT, Seattle’s WTO , in Beijing with Chinese farmers, among many others. Denise is the founder of Prairie Fire Rural Action, Farm Unity Coalition, Women, Food and Agriculture Network, and Nishnabotna Water Defenders. She is also a former president of the National Family Farm Coalition.