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Congress Is Close to Deal on Farm Bill  
Act Now!

 

After many delays, it looks like Congress is getting

close to a final version of the Farm Bill. We've been told that the conference committee has agreed on the broad framework. The final negotiations will include several issues that will affect small farmers, food producers and consumers:  

country of origin labeling, fair markets for livestock farmers, and food safety regulations.

 

Even if you have called before, please call again to make sure your voice is heard on these issues!  

Find out who to call and what to say in the  

Take Action section below.

 

Please speak up for small, independent farmers, food producers and consumers.

What's At Stake?  
 

1) Country of Origin Labeling: We know where our clothes are made, so why shouldn't we know what country our food comes from? In 2008, thanks to the work of many farming and consumer organizations, Congress required Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for produce and meats.    

  

But the big meat packers don't want to have to tell you where your food comes from, and they convinced the House to include a provision in the House version of the Farm Bill that guts COOL.   

Tell the conference committee to protect COOL and reject any changes!

  

2) Livestock Competition Rules: We also succeeded in getting provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill that would rein in some of the abuses of the big meat packers and provide fair, competitive markets for livestock producers. That provision was later undercut, but the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) section of USDA did adopt some rules that provide at least limited protections, under a law called the Packers & Stockyards Act.

 

But, again at the bidding of the meatpackers, the House version of the Farm Bill would undermine even these limited protections. Tell the conference committee to protect the GIPSA rules for fair livestock markets and reject any changes!

  

3) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Regulations: The FDA's proposed regulations under FSMA would be disastrous for many small and sustainable farmers. While the FDA's recent announcement that it will issue revised proposed regulations is an excellent step, we need to make sure that the new proposed regulations are based on sound science and economics.

 

FTCLDF, as part of a coalition of 39 farming and consumer organizations, urged Congress to include a provision in the Farm Bill that would require the FDA to do more analysis before enforcing rules under FSMA. Read the letter at bit.ly/farm-bill-benishek. Please tell the conference committee to require FDA to do the proper groundwork before issuing food safety regulations.

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TAKE ACTION!   

Call Your U.S. Senator and/or Representative to protect small farmers!      

 

If you live or work in any of the States listed below, please call the conferee(s) from your state.  

The Farm Bill conferees represent about half the states in the country.      

 

Ask your conference member to:

  • Preserve Country of Origin Labeling & oppose any changes;
  • Preserve the GIPSA rules for fair livestock markets & oppose any changes;
  • Support the Benishek provision to require FDA to do an analysis of both the science and the costs before implementing regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Call your representative/senator on the Farm Bill Conference Committee in the following states
(If you do not live or work in these states, see below):
 

STATE -- REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR -- DISTRICT -- PHONE NO.

 

Alabama -- Rep. Mike Rogers -- R-3rd -- 202-225-4872

Alabama -- Rep. Martha Roby -- R-2nd -- 202-225-2901

Arkansas -- Rep. Rick Crawford -- R-1st -- 202-225-4076

Arkansas -- Sen. John Boozman -- 202-224-4843

California -- Rep. Jeff Denham -- R-10th -- 202-225-4540

California -- Rep. Jim Costa -- D-16th -- 202-225-3341

California -- Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod -- D-35th -- 202-225-6161

Colorado -- Sen. Michael Bennet -- 202-224-5852

Florida -- Rep. Steve Southerland -- R-2nd -- 202-225-5235

Georgia -- Sen. Saxby Chambliss -- 202-224-3521

Georgia -- Rep. Austin Scott -- R-8th -- 202-225-6531

Illinois -- Rep. Rodney Davis -- R-13th -- 202-225-2371

Iowa -- Rep. Steve King -- R-4th -- 202-225-4426

Iowa -- Sen. Tom Harkin -- 202-224-3254

Kansas -- Sen. Pat Roberts -- 202-224-4774

Mass. -- Rep. Jim McGovern -- D-2nd -- 202-225-6101

Michigan -- Chairwoman Sen. Debbie Stabenow -- 202-224-4822

Minnesota -- Ranking Member Collin Peterson -- D-7th -- 202-225-2165

Minnesota -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar -- 202-224-3244

Minnesota -- Rep. Tim Walz -- D-1st -- 202-225-2472

Mississippi -- Sen. Thad Cochran -- 202-224-5054

Montana -- Sen. Max Baucus -- 202-224-2651

N. Carolina -- Rep. Mike McIntyre -- D-7th -- 202-225-2731

N. Dakota -- Sen. John Hoeven -- 202-224-2551

Ohio -- Sen. Sherrod Brown -- 202-224-2315

Ohio -- Rep. Marcia Fudge -- D-11th -- 202-225-7032

Oklahoma -- Chairman Frank D. Lucas -- R-3rd -- 202-225-5565

Oregon -- Rep. Kurt Schrader -- D-5th -- 202-225-5711

Penn. -- Rep. Glenn Thompson -- R-5th -- 202-225-5121

S. Dakota -- Rep. Kristi Noem -- At Large -- 202-225-2801

Texas -- Rep. K. Michael Conaway -- R-11th -- 202-225-3605

Texas -- Rep. Randy Neugebauer -- R-19th -- 202-225-4005

Texas -- Rep. Filemon Vela -- D-34th -- 202-225-9901

Vermont -- Sen. Patrick Leahy -- 202-224-4242

Washington -- Rep. Suzan DelBene -- D-1st -- 202-225-6311

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If you don't live or work in one of the states listed above, call your Representative and/or Senators and ask them to speak to the conferees on behalf of their constituents.

  • Call and ask to speak to the staffer who handles agricultural issues. Explain that you're a constituent and that protecting family farms is very important to you. Ask your Congressman to speak to the Farm Bill conferees to urge them to: 
    • Preserve Country of Origin Labeling & oppose any changes;  
    • Preserve the GIPSA rules for fair livestock markets & oppose any changes;
    • Support the Benishek provision to require FDA to do an analysis of both the science and the costs before implementing regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act.    
Keep Raw Milk Flowing
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, defends the rights and broadens the freedoms of family farms and artisan food producers while protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods. Learn more About Us or check out the FTCLDF 2012 Summary.  

Membership benefits include the possibility of representation in court; the Fund typically pays for all court costs. The Fund is not an insurance company and cannot guarantee representation on all legal matters. Your membership fees and donations help to keep local food sources available and preserve family farms facing unjust enforcement actions.

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