HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE VOTE NEXT WEEK WILL DETERMINE FATE OF ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRIORITIES.

YOUR CALLS NEEDED NOW!

Dear OFAN Member,

Phone calls or faxed letters are needed immediately, directed at the House Budget Committee members, to urge them to increase the spending allowances available for the writing of the 2007 Farm Bill (covering 2008 through 2012) as well as the Agricultural Appropriations bill for 2008.i

The funding level set by Congress in the Budget Resolution will dictate how much money the Agriculture Committees can spend on the new five-year Farm Bill. The spending level set in the Budget Resolution for domestic discretionary social spending will largely determine how much money the Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee will have when it writes the discretionary spending bill for next year. Our chances for winning major farm bill reform or increased funding levels for sustainable and organic programs will be determined in large part by action on the Budget Resolution.

PLEASE CALL OR FAX TODAY

The message is simple.  I am a constituent and I am calling to ask Senator _______ (or Representative ________ ) to vote for a Budget Resolution that–

Increases mandatory spending levels for the 2007 Farm Bill by $20 billion; and

Increases discretionary spending levels for the 2008 Agricultural Appropriations bill by at least $1 billion.

I believe we need to invest in conservation, renewable energy, sustainable and organic farming, rural economic development, beginning farmers and ranchers, and local and regional food systems.

It’s easy to call or write.  Please call the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask for your Senator’s or Representative’s office by name.  Ask the Senator’s or Representative’s receptionist for the legislative aide who covers the budget resolution.  If the budget aide is unavailable, leave a message with your name, phone number and the message above on the aide’s voice mail or with the receptionist.

If you prefer to write, fax a brief letter with the points above, along with you name and address and contact information, to the fax number listed in the attached list of Budget Committee members.

Background

The vote on the budget is, in effect, the first real vote on the new 2007 Farm Bill. Renewal of the Farm Bill this year creates a singular opportunity to reform our farm and food policies to better meet America's economic, energy, environment, hunger and health challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities. With adequate funding we can make substantial progress in fostering new farming opportunities, expanding new markets, leveling the playing field for sustainable and organic farmers, increasing food access and improving health, reducing hunger, promoting rural entrepreneurship and community development, rewarding farmers to help meet the nation’s most pressing environmental challenges, investing in sustainable farm-based energy conservation and production systems, and ensuring fair access for socially disadvantaged farmers and farmworkers.

Spending on food, farm and rural development discretionary programs were frozen in 2007 at 2006 levels. Increases in some key sustainable and organic agriculture programs that were passed in either the House or Senate did not come to fruition as a result. Now Congress needs to allow funding to catch up with inflation and with major locked-in increases in some USDA programs that, absent a larger total pie, will result in smaller slices (i.e., budget cuts) for our priority programs, including sustainable and organic research, conservation incentive programs, value-added and rural business and energy grants, farmers markets and farm-to-cafeteria grants, and so on.

i Please note – if you have already received an action alert to call or write members of the Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee in support of sustainable and organic program priorities, please continue to respond to those alerts. Those are aimed at the appropriators, who will also be making key decisions this coming week. In contrast, this alert is aimed at the Budget Committees and the budget resolution, and is therefore a different, yet equally important action. We apologize if your Representative or Senator is doing dual duty on these two different actions and therefore you are receiving two different alerts. They are both important. Thanks for understanding!

110th CONGRESS: SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE 

Organic Farming Research Foundation, 303 Potrero St. #29-203, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
tel. 831-426-6606, action@ofrf.org, ofrf.org.