Amy Halloran writes in Metroland about two rallies in support of independent farmers and locally grown/raised food, scheduled to take place in Albany. The first, sponsored by Food & Water Watch, will take place Wed., Feb. 8, at the Capitol and will appeal to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to support a fair Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is due for reauthorization by Congress this year. Food & Water Watch, according to the article, supports a variety of measures intended to level the playing field between independent small farmers and large agri-business. The American Farmland Trust of New York organized the No Farms, No Food rally for Wed., Feb. 15, to urge state legislators to support measures that back farms, farmers and local food production. Those measures include: Farmland-protection programs; restoration of funds for the New York Farm Viability Institute; increased funding for the New York State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program; and funding for incentives to increase use of SNAP (food stamp benefits) at farmers markets. Read the full story in Metroland.