THE ORGANIC FARMING RESEARCH FOUNDATION (OFRF)
Organic Farmer's
Action Network
May
22, 2006
Your voice is needed.
Let Congress know research focused on organic production issues
is important to YOU.
Ask them to support Rep Holt’s amendment to increase the
Organic Transitions program to $5 M in the Agriculture Appropriations bill.
Dear
Its time to
take action.
Background: Congressman Rush Holt of New Jersey is about to offer an
amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill that would increase spending
on the Organic Transitions competitive research grant program from $1.8 million
to $5 million. The amendment is cosponsored by Mr. DeFazio of
This program funds systems research that helps farmers surmount
the challenges of organic production and marketing. Field research funded through
this program must be done in an organic agro-ecosystem and is intended to be
practical and applied research. Increasing funding from $1.8 to $5 million
will be for a competitive grants program called the “Organic Transitions
Program” (from $1.8 million to $5 million).
Congress has to make some difficult
choices this year as funding is limited, but we need to let them know that
supporting organic farmers is a priority. Historically, organic
production issues have received a disproportionately small share of USDA
research spending. It is time to change that.
Timing: Calls are needed today. The bill is expected to be
voted upon on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives tomorrow (Tuesday
May 23rd). Your representative needs to hear from you before
voting. Please call today or early tomorrow.
What you can do:
Call your representative.
They need to hear that their constituents are interested in this issue.
To find
out who your representative is, click here and enter your address.
Please send an email to [log in to unmask] letting us know
you called. Simply put “I called” in the subject line and send.
Or, include a note telling us how the call went!
Organic Farmers Action Network
(OFAN)
Brise Tencer
Organic Farming Research Foundation
831-426-6606, 831-426-6670 fax
http//www.ofrf.org
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Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach
Specialist
C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resrouces Bldg.
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
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