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Green Ribbon Actions & Ideas

Here’s a short list of Green Ribbon activities carried out by many parishes:
• Distribute green ribbons among parishioners to wear as a symbol of concern and hope for
family farm agriculture and care of creation.
• Prepare liturgy in the light of justice and the status of agriculture and rural society.
• Lift up the vocation of family farm agriculture during appropriate times of the year.

On this last item, NCRLC suggests this Rural Life Seasonal Calendar.

For greater attention to care of creation and creation awareness,
check out this handbook resource from Earth Ministry.


A selected list of actions throughout the countryside…

More than 500 Green Ribbons were distributed in March 2004 at the annual meeting of the
National Farmers Union (NFU), purported to be the largest distribution in a secular setting.
Since then, state and regional affiliates of the NFU have been distributing hundreds of Green
Ribbons from Michigan to California. "There appears to be a lot of interest among agricultural
groups. They’re working on ways to expose more people to the campaign including lobby days,
newsletters, and other statewide gatherings that are taking place," said Toby Pearson, NCRLC’s
national organizer.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Social Concerns Office and Rural Life Committee along with
the Churches' Center for Land and People (CCLP) distributed Green Ribbons at their Easter
Farmers’ Market. This unique farmers market was a fundraiser for Harvest of Hope, an
ecumenical program that provides emergency grants to struggling family farms in Wisconsin.
Green ribbons were distributed to draw attention to the plight of family farmers. For details
contact Margie Morgan at morganm@archmil.org.

The Archdiocese of Louisville is shaping its Green Ribbon Campaign. They plan to distribute
1,200 Green Ribbons and bookmarks on bike tours, study gatherings on both statements, and
with existing faith sharing groups. Parishes will be encouraged to "twin" – joining a rural parish
with suburban/urban parish. For more information, contact Sr. Mary Schmuck, 502-331-4545
(schmuckrsm@scnazarethky.org).

In March 2003, Br. Dave Andrews spoke at a gathering of the Council of Catholic Women,
Diocese of Austin, Texas. His topic was "Eating is a Moral Act" and the connection between
our food choices and the type of agriculture we are supporting as a nation. If we want to
support smaller farmers, particularly if they are good stewards of the land, then we need to
purchase locally grown foods and get to know farmers in our community or area. When Br. Dave
mentioned the Green Ribbon campaign of NCRLC – an effort to "care through prayer" for family
farms – this sparked the interest of Doris Voltin. She wanted to introduce this campaign idea to
the deanery women in her diocese. We sent her materials to help organize a Green Ribbon
campaign and how to talk about family farm issues at a rural life workshop she was planning.

Bishop Robert J. Carlson of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota announced the
beginning of a statewide Green Ribbon agricultural awareness campaign at a Mass celebrated June
4, 2001, with more than 200 people near Trent, South Dakota. "Our personal indifference, if we
continue to choose to ignore the issues, will contribute to decisions made every day that impact
the quality and price of the food we eat," said Bishop Carlson. "Of course, it also affects the
livelihood of so many in South Dakota," he added.
Members of the diocesan Rural Life Commission, when deciding to endorse the Green
Ribbon Campaign, identified several issues facing farmers and ranchers directly, and which
indirectly affect small towns and all consumers. Among the concerns identified were pricing,
marketing, loan rates, government programs, bio-tech and genetic issues, and agri-business
consolidation. "The average consumer probably isn’t thinking about these things, but they each
have direct or indirect implications for all of us," Bishop Carlson said. "Particularly in South
Dakota we have the opportunity to make a difference for our neighbors and family if we just
spend a little more time learning about these issues," he said.
More than 20 faith groups, television and radio stations, and elected officials have
officially signed on as partners including the other South Dakota Diocese of Rapid City and
NCRLC. "Green ribbons are a symbol of hope -- hope that together we can make a difference,"
concluded the bishop.

The Rural Life Committee of the North Dakota Conference of Churches initiated a program in
2002 to identify and recognize North Dakota churches that share a concern over the future of
family farm agriculture and demonstrate that concern through action and dialogue. The objectives
of the program, according to Karl Limvere, are "to define and implement a just agricultural system
based on Christian principles of social justice and through the Green Ribbon Churches, to educate
the faith community and wider community concerning the problems and issues of the continuing
crisis in rural America, minister to the needs of the victims of this crisis, engage in prayer and
worship, seek hope and justice for the future."
Participating churches distribute Green Ribbons among their parishioners to wear as a
symbols of concern and hope for family farm agriculture. They consider through liturgy and the
spoken word concerns of justice about the status of agriculture and rural society and lift up the
vocation of family farm agriculture on appropriate designated times on their denominational
calendars such as Rural Life Sunday, Thanksgiving, Days of Rogation, etc. The churches make
information available on the rural crisis to parishioners from denominational and ecumenical
resources and encourage discussion of Biblical understandings of justice as they relate to rural life.
The North Dakota Conference of churches present participating churches a certificate
designating the church as a Green Ribbon Church, resource materials, and opportunities to
participate in the life and activities of the Rural Life Committee. Contact Karl Limvere
kivimaa@daktel.com.

At their 211th General Assembly, Presbyterians adopt an overture calling attention to the
farm crisis, requesting advocacy for family farmers and ranchers, and urging General Assembly
entities to actively address rural issues. As part of their witness, they distributed 5,000 green
ribbons and encouraged people to "Care through Prayer."

The Green Ribbon emblem finds a home on the masthead of the Catholic diocesan newspaper of
La Crosse, Wisconsin, The Times Review.

At meetings of the Rural Chaplain Association and National Consultation on Cooperative
Ministry, Judy Heffernan from the Heartland Network for Town and Rural Ministries of
the United Methodist Church distributed 500 green ribbons attached to "Call to Prayer" cards.
These cards called attention to the struggles of farmers, ranchers, farm workers, food processing
workers, rural churches and rural communities.

In March 2000, the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota marched from St. Paul Cathedral to the
State House. During this rally for rural communities, green ribbons were worn by 1,500
participants. A similar rally was held in Topeka, Kansas, keynoted by Archbishop James
Keleher of Kansas City, Kansas.

Also in March 2000, a "Rally for Rural America" was held in Washington, DC, where 3,000
participants wore green ribbons.

In the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, Fr. David Bourek, Rural Life Director, and Dr. Elaine
Werth, Catholic Social Services, teamed up to respond to the needs of rural parishes. "We do not
come with all the answers, but rather as a voice of hope, speaking of faith, with love."

During the 2000 Farm Progress Show in Springfield, Illinois, people who passed through the
Sustainable Agriculture tent were invited to put on green ribbons and learn more about the
campaign.

In 2000, Bishop Robert Carlson of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, announced the
beginning of a state-wide Green Ribbon agricultural awareness campaign. Bishop Carlson began
the campaign with a Farm Mass. Nineteen other faith groups and some elected officials signed on
as partners to the campaign. (The awareness campaign and Farm Mass, were repeated in 2001.)

Bishop James Timlin of the Diocese of Scranton, PA, urged Catholics to realize that low milk
prices are crippling many family-owned dairy farms. At parish meetings held during September,
diocesan organizers brought along green ribbons and invited everyone to show their solidarity
with family farmers. Their message: "Learn about the farm crisis and how it affects your
community. Urge legislators to devise a fair pricing system for milk and other farm products."

In March 2001, the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, featured the Green Ribbon Campaign at the
annual Soil and Seeds Mass, sponsored every spring by the Ford-Iroquois Council of Catholic
Women. Green ribbons were worn and blessings offered for soil, seeds, farm families and rural
communities.

The nine-member church communions of Kansas Ecumenical Ministries encouraged the
faithful to make the Green Ribbon Campaign part of their Spring 2001 celebration of God’s
creation. Also, five hundred people wore green ribbons at the Legislative Event for Advocacy in
Faith event held in Topeka.

At the Catholic Rural Life Conference of the Diocese of London in Ontario, Canada, the
Harwich Catholic Women's League distributed 800 Green Ribbons for Land Sunday (April 29,
2001) at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chatham, Ontario.

The Rural Life Committee of the Catholic Regional Council of Nemaha and Marshall counties
(Kansas) organized liturgical events around the feast day of St. Isidore (May 15). Prayers,
procession, scripture, and music marked the fifth anniversary of this event which travels among
the parishes of the two counties. The 2001 celebration included a procession of five stations
with displays of farm machinery, small animals, and canned fruits and vegetables.

In October 2001, the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Poteau, Oklahoma
[www.kerrcenter.com] had over 200 participants wearing green ribbons during a gathering.

An old creamery in Tilden, Wisconsin, closed over twenty years ago, is likely to be reopening as
a mini-dairy for local farmers to produce and market their own dairy products. The new name is
The Green Ribbon Creamery. The idea was sparked during a pastoral council meeting at St.
Peter Catholic Church in Tilden, WI, following further reports of more depressed milk prices.
What started as a seemingly impossible idea, was nurtured along by interest from the Chippewa
Falls Deanery and Bishop Raymond Burke of the Diocese of LaCrosse. Local pastor Fr. William
Felix contacted several people from local farm agencies, business groups and university
extensions to explore the idea of a creamery revival. A local value added agriculture task force met
with Father Felix and deanery representatives. Members of the task force found the proposal to
be a positive and promising action which could help local family sized farms in the area.

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Do you have a Green Ribbon action or idea?
Let us know and we'll post it on this webpage.
Contact ncrlc@mchsi.com