Get Rid of the Goodlatte Pesticide Provision in
the Final Farm Bill!
As the 2007 Farm Bill comes down to the wire, House and Senate Agriculture leaders are considering numerous detailed provisions. Among these is a provision from the House bill, offered by Rep. Goodlatte (R-VA) that would bar USDA from prohibiting the use of specific pesticides as a requirement for participation in Conservation Programs. This provision, if accepted into the final Farm Bill, could prevent USDA from assisting farmers who are converting to organic farming practices, and would impact USDA’s efforts to reduce the use of harmful pesticides. Scroll down for more information.
Final Farm Bill negotiations are happening right now and the deadline for completing the bill is just two weeks away – please contact your members of Congress now and urge them to reject the Goodlatte pesticide provision in the Farm Bill!
If your members are Farm Bill conferees urge them to oppose this amendment during Farm Bill negotiations. If they aren’t, urge them to speak to their colleagues on the conference committee.
Contact Info for Your Members of Congress
Visit congressmerge.com/onlinedb to find out who represents you.
When you call, ask to speak to the legislative aide who handles agriculture. Let us know if you contact your members of Congress – contact Tracy Lerman, Policy Program Assistant, at (831) 426-6606, or tracy@ofrf.org.
Farm Bill Conferees
Senate Conferees
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Likely House Conferees
(The House hasn’t yet named their conferees. Below is a list of likely members.)
Collin Peterson (D-MN)
Tim Holden (D-PA)
Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
Bob Etheridge (D-NC)
Leonard Boswell (D-IA)
Joe Baca (D-CA)
Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)
David Scott (D-GA)
Earl Pomeroy (D-GA)
Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
Frank Lucas (R-OK)
Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Robin Hayes (R-NC)
Jo Bonner (R-AL)
Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)
Background
House and Senate members working on the final Farm Bill language are considering whether to include of a “pesticide non-discrimination” provision sponsored by Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee. The provision states, “In establishing priorities and evaluation criteria for the approval of plans, contracts, and agreements under title II [the Conservation title], the Secretary of Agriculture shall not discriminate against the use of specific registered pesticide products or classes of pesticide products.” If this provision or one like it is included in the final Farm Bill, USDA Conservation Programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), could be prohibited from assisting farmers who want to convert to organic farming practices. In addition, USDA Conservation Programs won’t be able to address natural resources threatened by pesticide contamination or effectively promote environmentally friendly pest control.
In previous years, some states have used payments administered through EQIP to assist growers converting to organic farming practices. In the current Farm Bill, there is language creating an Organic Conversion Program, to be administered through EQIP, that would provide financial and technical assistance to growers converting to organic practices. USDA certified organic farming practices only allow use of pesticides permitted under the Organic Foods Production Act. If the Goodlatte pesticide amendment is allowed into the final Farm Bill, USDA’s efforts to assist farmers in converting to organic may be severely restricted.
USDA would also be restricted from curtailing usage of pesticides posing specific threats to air and water quality, or promoting Integrated Pest Management practices or other environmentally friendly pest control methods. Both of these practices could be construed to discriminate against specific pesticides.
Join OFRF's Organic Farmers Action Network by clicking on the link at: www.ofrf.org
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