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NFC: Fw: Last Chance for Conservation in House Farm Bill!
We could REALLY use your help this week. It is the last chance to make
conservation a priority in the House Farm Bill.
Next week, the week of September 10, Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and
Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) will offer an amendment based on the Working Lands
Stewardship Act (H.R. 2375) to replace the conservation title of the
Combest/Stenholm Farm Bill (H.R. 2646) on the floor of the House of
Representatives. The Working Lands Stewardship Act and the amendment
based
on it will boost federal funds to improve water quality, protect food and
drinking water supplies, restore habitat for wildlife, combat sprawling
development, protect and enhance forests, and help many more agricultural
communities.
The Combest/Stenholm bill (H.R. 2646) would gut wetland protection and
longstanding wildlife habitat programs, subsidize polluting massive hog
farms, weaken or destroy the nation's network of conservation technical
assistance, and continue to deny most farmers any direct payments at all.
See the links below for an overview of the bill, list of co-sponsors, and
talking points. We need your help to ensure that all MN Representatives
support the Kind-Gilchrest conservation amendment on the House floor next
week.
PLEASE CALL OR FAX A LETTER THIS WEEK (see sample below) urging your
Representative to support the Kind-Gilchrest conservation amendment to
the
Farm Bill and, if he/she have not already, to co-sponsor the Working
Lands
Stewardship Act.
The need in Minnesota for increased funding for agriculture conservation
programs is great. In FY'01 alone, Minnesota had an unmet need for more
than $57 million in USDA conservation funding, including more than $28.5
million in unmet requests from farmers to reduce polluted runoff and
protect water quality.
When Combest brings his bill to the floor, Representatives Kind and
Gilchrest will offer the language of H.R. 2375 (the WLSA) as an amendment
to replace the Conservation Title of Representative Combest's bill (H.R.
2646).
Contact info for MN Representatives:
William Luther (D) 202-225-2271, 202-225-3368 (f) Has co-sponsored
Betty McCollum (D) 202-225-6631, 202-225-1968 (f) Has co-sponsored
James Oberstar (D) 202-225-6211, 202-225-0699 (f) Has co-sponsored
Collin Peterson (D) 202-225-2165, 202-225-1593 (f) Has NOT
co-sponsored
Martin Sabo (D) 202-225-4755, 202-225-4886 (f) Has co-sponsored
Gil Gutknecht (R) 202-225-2472, 202-225-3246 (f) Has NOT
co-sponsored
Mark Kennedy (R) 202-225-2331, 202-225-6475 (f) Has NOT
co-sponsored
Jim Ramstad (R) 202-225-2871, 202-225-6351 (f) Has NOT co-sponsored
You can find a summary of the bill online at
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/AgriReform/workin
glandssum.html.
Summary of the key differences between the WLSA and the House Ag
Committee
farm bill is available online at
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/AgriReform/farmbi
llpoints.html.
The current list of co-sponsors is available at
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/AgriReform/WLSAsp
onsor.html.
Your help in reaching out to Minnesota Representatives would be greatly
appreciated. Please let me know if you have questions, need more
information, or would like to talk about this. Your help would be really
wonderful. I have also pasted in a sample letter if you are interested in
sending a letter in addition to making a call. This would be really
effective.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks!
Suzy
Suzy Friedman
Agriculture Policy Analyst
Environmental Defense
1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, #1016
Washington, DC 20009
202-387-3500 x176 (v), 202-234-6049 (f)
sfriedman at environmentaldefense_org
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/AgriReform/index.
html
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Representative:
I urge you support the Kind-Gilchrest conservation amendment to the House
Agriculture Committee Farm Bill (H.R. 2646) to help protect Minnesota's
environment, public health, and agricultural communities and, if you have
not already, to co-sponsor the Working Lands Stewardship Act (H.R. 2375).
Today, most farmers, ranchers and other private landowners seeking
federal
assistance to improve water quality, combat sprawl, or help wildlife are
rejected due to inadequate funding. The need in Minnesota for increased
funding for agriculture conservation programs is great. In FY'01 alone,
Minnesota had an unmet need for more than $57 million in USDA
conservation
funding, including more than $28.5 million in unmet requests from farmers
to reduce polluted runoff and protect water quality.
The Working Lands Stewardship Act of 2001 would boost funding to preserve
open space and restore wildlife habitat to $500 million annually, boost
funding to reduce polluted runoff to $1 billion annually, and restore
250,000 acres of wetlands each year. The bill will also provide grants
for
farmers markets, boost funding for planting trees in along urban rivers,
eliminate barriers to organic food production, and increase incentives
for
forest practices that improve wildlife habitat and water quality.
The Combest/Stenholm Farm Bill (H.R. 2646) would gut wetland protection
and
longstanding wildlife habitat programs, subsidize polluting massive hog
farms, weaken or destroy the nation's network of conservation technical
assistance, and continue to deny most farmers any direct payments at all.
Boosting annual funding for voluntary incentive-based conservation
programs
will do more than reward farmers and ranchers who protect water quality,
help rare species or serve as the frontline against sprawl - additional
funding will contribute to farm and ranch income, ease regulatory
burdens,
and reduce water treatment costs.
Unless we reward farmers when they meet our environmental challenges, one
third of our rivers and lakes will remain polluted, hundreds of species
will creep closer to extinction, and millions of acre of open space will
be
lost forever.
I urge you support the Kind-Gilchrest conservation amendment to H.R. 2646
to help protect Minnesota's environment, public health, and agricultural
communities and, if you have not already, to co-sponsor the Working Lands
Stewardship Act (H.R. 2375).
Sincerely,
NAME, ADDRESS
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