Yes, this is the same Farm Bill with which community gardeners have been asked to get involved. Yes, the all important vote of the full House on the bill is taking place on Thursday -- tomorrow. Unfortunately, just what the coalition of organizations that have been working for over 2 years to prevent is happening -- allies are being pitted against each other.
The major provisions that the Community Food Security Coalition has been lobbying for -- particularly increased funding for the Community Food Projects program (from $5 million annually to $30 million)-- are in fact in the Agriculture Committee's bill. Also included are provisions that will allow for geographic preference for school systems in purchasing food and other support for farmers' markets and improved local food distribution. What is not in the bill, which Oxfam is advocating, is for more widespread reform to the commodities support program. Although Rep. Kind's bill also includes much of the above CFSC priorities, it is being looked upon as adversarial to the Committee's bill. The CFSC is reluctant to advocate for the Kind amendment because it most likely will jeopardize the above gains. Efforts to ensure that the Community Food Projects program is funded at $30 million MANDATORY spending may still be needed. I am awaiting word on this evening. We may be asking for support for an amendment by Rep. Blumenhauer. Yes, a complex situation that is changing by the moment. Betsy Johnson > -----Original Message----- > From: Don Boekelheide [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 02:19 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Community_garden] Farm bill update and question > > Hi, all, > > FYI: I just received the following post from Oxfam, > forwarded by a local small farm/local food activist > who has gained my respect over the years. > > What gives? Is this the same bill we are being asked > to support as community gardeners and ACGA members? > Has somebody been tinkering with the bill? Should we > support the amendment mentioned in the post? > > If we need to support the bill, what do we tell our > allies and partners who oppose it as harmful to small > farmers? > > Thanks, > > Don Boekelheide > Charlotte NC > > Here's the post: > > As a member of the Farm Bill Action Team, your help is > urgently needed. Time is running out for Congress to > do the right thing on the Farm Bill. Last week, the > House Agriculture Committee approved a bill that takes > our food and farm policy from bad to worse, doing > virtually nothing to help struggling farmers here and > hurting farmers abroad. Billions of taxpayer dollars > will continue to go to industrial-sized farms while > our small farmers receive next to nothing. The House > has scheduled a vote for Thursday. Luckily, there is > still time to make a difference, but we need your help > today to make that happen. > > Because you are a member of the Farm Bill Action Team, > a group dedicated to reform, we are asking a little > more of you than the average activists. We urge you to > help make this reform a reality by doing two things. > First, please call your Representative and ask him/her > to support the Fairness Amendment to the Farm Bill > offered by Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Jeff Flake > (R-AZ). This bipartisan amendment will reduce > trade-distorting subsidies and shift funds to programs > that feed hungry families, protect the environment, > and help poor and minority farmers. > > And second, please pledge to get five of your friends, > family members, colleagues or co-workers to call their > legislator as well. We've been working with you and > preparing for a moment like this all year, and now is > the chance for you to shine! > > It's fast and simple, and it can make a big > difference. Please follow these simple instructions. > > 1. Call 1-800-977-1912. > 2. An automated message will tell you what to say. > 3. Please enter this six-digit code: 138353. > 4. You will be connected to your representative's > office. > > You can be sure the special interest groups will try > to defeat this amendment, so it is critical that you > call today. Representatives listen to their > constituents and want to hear from you! > > And remember, after you have made your call, make your > voice even louder by asking at least five friends to > also make a phone call. > > Thank you again for your support of poor farmers. > > Sincerely, > > Tim Fullerton > Oxfam America > > _______________________________________________ > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's > services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out > how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > > To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
