This is a near final opportunity for you to indicate your opinion
regarding the farm bill.
________________________________
From: Judith McGeary [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 12:51 PM
To: Vicki Morrone
Subject: House Committee has delayed the vote on the Farm Bill
More Time to Take Action On the Farm Bill!
The House Committee on Agriculture has delayed the vote on the Farm Bill
until July 10-12. This gives us more time to educate people and rally
support!
Take action:
(1) Educate your community about NAIS. Post this flyer at your local
feed stores, auction barns, co-ops, etc.
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/files/Farm-Bill-NAIS-generic.doc
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.8obimbcab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Ffarmandranchfreedom.org%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2FFarm-Bill-NAIS
-generic.doc> . This Texas-specific version includes information on
both NAIS and the federal preemption provision:
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/files/Farm-Bill-flyer-6.15.07.doc
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.7obimbcab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Ffarmandranchfreedom.org%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2FFarm-Bill-flye
r-6.15.07.doc>
(2) Call any member of the Committee who is from your state. Committee
members are listed below. Call both the members of the House and Senate
Committees, because the Senate will probably start work on its version
of the Farm Bill the same week the House Committee votes. Call NOW.
(3) Contact your Congressman and Senators: go to
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.n8g8c7bab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.house.gov%2Fwriterep%2F> and
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.togiyacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.senate.gov%2Fgeneral%2Fcontact_information%2Fsenators_
cfm.cfm> or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask them
to speak with the Chairs of the Committees, and any members of the
Committees from your state, on your behalf. Call NOW.
(4) Between JULY 5 and JULY 10, call Chairman Peterson and as many
members of the House Committee as you can. We're asking that people
focus their calls on those specific days to maximize the impact. If
you've already called - call again on those days!
Background on the Farm Bill provisions: Section 121 would allow the USDA
to use a mandatory animal identification system in order to implement
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). This would open the door for the
USDA to link the National Animal ID System (NAIS) to COOL, forcing small
farms out of business and harming our local food supply. Read more
about NAIS and COOL at
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/NAIS-and-COOL
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.dtkpkacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Ffarmandranchfreedom.org%2Fcontent%2FNAIS-and-COOL> .
Section 123 would bar states or localities from prohibiting any food or
agricultural product that USDA has deregulated. This would stop local
control over such things as genetically engineered crops or hormones in
our food.
MESSAGE: Please strip Sections 121 and 123 from the draft Farm Bill.
The law barring the USDA from using mandatory animal identification to
implement COOL should not be changed, and NAIS should not be put into
the Farm Bill. Further, the USDA should not be able to pre-empt state
and local government control over food safety.
As always, if you have any questions, you can contact us at
[log in to unmask] or call 866-687-6452.
Listed below:
Members of the House Committee on Agriculture
Members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture
Talking Points
Sample Letter/E-mail
House Committee on Agriculture
Members are listed in order of their states (alphabetically). Please
contact any members who come from your state. If you want to use
e-mail, then go to the Congressperson's website, which you can find at
http://www.house.gov/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.vogiyacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.house.gov%2F>
Chair: The Honorable Collin C. Peterson
1305 Longworth House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-2171
Fax: 202-225-8510
Email: [log in to unmask]
Members:
Terry Everett (AL), (p) 202-225-2901, (f) 202-225-8913
Michael Rogers (AL), (p) 202-225-3261, (f) 202-226-8485
Jo Bonner (AL), (p) 202-225-4931, (f) 202-225-0562
Joe Baca (CA), (p) 202-225-6161, (f) 202-225-8671
Dennis Cardoza (CA), (p) 202-225-6131, (f) 202-225-0819
Jim Costa (CA), (p) 202-225-3341, (f) 202-225-9308
Kevin McCarthy (CA), (202) 225-2915, (f) 202-225-2908
John T. Salazar (CO), (p) 202-225-4761, (f) 202-226-9669
Marilyn Musgrove (CO), (p) 202-225-4676, (f) 202-225-5870
Timothy Mahoney (FL), (p) 202-225-5792, (f) 202-225-3132
David Scott (GA), (p) 202-225-2939, (f) 202-225-4628
Jim Marshall (GA), (p) 202-225-6531, (f) 202-225-3013
John Barrow (GA), (p) 866-890-6236, (f) 202-225-3377
Leonard L. Boswell, (IA), (p) 202-225-3806, (f) 202-225-5608
Steve King (IA), (p) 202-225-4426, (f) 202-225-3193
Timothy Johnson (IL), 202-225-2371, (f) 202-226-0791
Brad Ellsworth (IN), (p) 866-567-0227, (f) 202-225-3284
Joe Donnelly (IN), (p) 202-225-3915, (f) 202-225-6798
Nancy Boyda (KS), (p) 202-225-6601, (f) 202-225-7986
Jerry Moran (KS), (p) 202-225-2715, (f) 202-225-5124
Charles W. Boustany, Hr. (LA), (p) 202-225-2031, (f) 202-225-5724
Tim Walberg (MI), (p) 202-225-6276, (f) 202-225-6281
Collin Peterson (MN), (p) 202-225-2165, (f) 202-225-1593
Timothy J. Walz (MN), (p) 202-225-2472, (f) 202-225-3433
Sam Graves (MO), (p) 202-225-7041, (f) 202-225-8221
Earl Pomeroy, (ND), (p) 202-225-2611, (f) 202-226-0893
Mike McIntyre (NC), (p) 202-225-2731, (f) 202-225-5773
Bob Etheridge (NC), (p) 202-225-4531, (f) 202-225-5662
Robin Hayes, (NC), (p) 202-225-3715, (f)202-225-4036
Virginia Foxx (NC), (p) 202-225-2071, (f) 202-225-2995
Jeff Fortnberry (NE), (p) 202-225-4806, (f) 202-225-5686
Adrian Smith (NE), (p) 202-225-6435, (f) 202-225-0207
Kirsten Gillibrand, (NY), (p) 202-225-5614, (f)202-225-1168
John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (NY), 202-225-3161, (f) 202-226-6599
Zachary T. Space (OH), (p) 202-225-6265, (f) 330-364-4330
Jean Schmidt (OH), (p) 202-225-3164, (f) 202-225-1992
Frank D. Lucas (OK), (p) 202-225-5565, (f) 202-225-8698
Tim Holden (PA), (p) 202-225-5546, (f) 202-226-0996
Stephanie Herseth Sandline, (SD), (p) 202-225-2801, (f) 202-225-5823
Lincoln Davis, (TN), (p) 202-225-6831, 9f) 202-226-5172
Henry Cuellar (TX), (p) 202-225-1640, (f) 202-225-1641
Mike Conaway (TX), (p) 202-225-3605, (f) 202-225-1783
Randy Neugebauer (TX), (p) 202-225-4005, (f) 202-225-9615
Nicholas Lampson (TX), (p) 202-225-5951, (f) 202-225-5241
Bob Goodlatte (VA), (p) 202-225-5431, (f) 202-225-9681
Steve Kagen (WI), (p) 202-225-5665, (f) 202-225-5729
Senate Committee on Agriculture
Name (State), Phone number, Fax number
Members are listed in order of their states (alphabetically). Please
contact any members who come from your state. If you want to use
e-mail, then go to the Congressperson's website, which you can find at
http://www.senate.gov/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.o8g8c7bab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.senate.gov%2F>
Chair: Senator Harkin
Room SR-328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC. 20510-6000
Phone: 202-224-2035
Blanche Lincoln (AR), (p) 202-224-4843, (f) 202-228-1371
Ken Salazar (CO), (p) 202-224-5852, (f) 202-228-5036
Saxby Chambliss (GA), (p) 202-224-3521, (f) 202-224-0103
Mike Crapo (ID), (p) 202-224-6142, (f) 202-228-1375
Tom Harkin (IA), (p) 202-224-3254, (f) 202-224-9369
Charles Grassley (IA), (p) 202-224-3744, (f) 515-288-5097
Richard Lugar (IN), (p) 202-224-4814, (f) 202-228-0360
Pat Roberts (KS), (p) 202-224-4774, (f) 202-224-3514
Mitch McConnell (KY), (p) 202-224-2541, (f) 202-224-2499
Debbie Stabenow (MI), (p) 202-224-4822, e-mail:
[log in to unmask]
Norm Coleman (MN), (p) 202-224-5641, (f) 202-224-1152
Amy Klobuchar (MN), (p) 202-224-3244
Thad Cochran (MS), (p) 202-224-5054
Max Baucus (MT), (p) 202-224-2651, (f) 202-224-0515
E. Banjamin Nelson (NE), (p) 202-224-6551, (f) 202-228-0012
Kent Conrad (ND), (p) 202-224-2043, (f) 202-224-7776, E-mail:
https://conrad.senate.gov/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.5jwsjbcab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
=https%3A%2F%2Fconrad.senate.gov%2F> ...
Sherrod Brown (OH), (p): 202-224-2315, (f) 202-228-6321
Robert Casey, Jr. (PA), (p): 202-224-6324, (f) 202-228-0604
Lindsey Graham (SC), (p) 202-224-5972
John Thune (SD), (p) 202-224-2321, (f) 202-228-5429
Patrick Leahy (VT), (p) 202-224-4242
Talking Points
* Please strip Sections 121 and 123 from the draft Farm Bill. I oppose
both the National Animal ID System (NAIS) and pre-emption of state and
local control of our food supply.
*Section 121 / National Animal ID System: The law barring the USDA from
using mandatory animal identification to implement Country of Origin
Labeling (COOL) should not be changed.
--COOL can be implemented simply by requiring that all imports of live
animals or food be identified with a country of origin marking.
Requiring U.S. livestock owners to individually identify and track all
domestic livestock is not necessary.
--Using mandatory animal identification to implement COOL would impose
heavy burdens on American farmers and ranchers, in both time and money.
A National Animal ID System (NAIS) would drive independent ranches and
farms in America out of business.
--The purpose of COOL is to provide information so that consumers can
choose whether to buy domestic or foreign products and, as a hoped-for
result, providing American farmers and ranchers with economic rewards
for raising food in this country.
--NAIS will harm American farmers and ranchers, directly contrary to the
goal of COOL.
* Section 123 / Federal Pre-emption: Section 123 section would pre-empt
the rights of state and local governments to regulate food or
agricultural products that USDA has granted "non-regulated" status.
This deprives citizens of their rights to enact laws to protect health
and public safety at the local level. Local and state governments need
to retain their authority to regulate food and agricultural products,
including genetically engineered (GE) foods and crops.
Sample letter or email
If you use email, be sure to put a clear subject line, such as "Keep
NAIS and Pre-emption language out of the Draft Farm Bill"
Dear Chairman Peterson and Members of the Committee:
I ask that you strip Sections 121 and 123 from the draft Farm Bill.
Section 121 would allow the USDA to use mandatory animal identification
to implement Country of Origin Labeling, while Section 123 would
pre-empt state and local laws regulating food and agricultural products.
I strongly oppose both provisions.
I am a _______ (farmer, consumer, ... Tell them a few sentences about
yourself and why you care about this issue)
The law barring the USDA from using mandatory animal identification to
implement Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) should not be changed, and
the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) should not be added to
the Farm Bill. COOL can be implemented by requiring all imported
livestock to be identified with a country of origin marking, which is
already a requirement for cattle imported from Mexico or Canada.
Requiring U.S. cattle producers to individually identify and track all
livestock is not necessary.
Using mandatory animal identification to implement COOL will impose
heavy burdens on American farmers and ranchers, in both time and money.
NAIS will drive independent ranches and farms in America out of
business. The purpose of COOL is to provide information so that
consumers can choose whether to buy domestic or foreign products and, as
a hoped-for result, providing American farmers and ranchers with
economic rewards for raising food in this country. Mandatory animal
identification will harm all Americans' rights and our economy,
canceling out the benefits of COOL.
In addition, state and local government regulation of our food supply
should not be preempted by the USDA. Citizens across the country have
sought local and state regulations to address critical concerns,
including the use of genetically engineered foods and crops. Section
123 is a back-door means of wiping out state and local food safety laws.
This provision has no place in the Farm Bill.
Please strip Sections 121 and 123 from the draft Farm Bill, keep NAIS
out of the Farm Bill, and protect local control of our food supply.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
City, State Zip
Email ( if you have it)
Cc: Senator Harkin
Senator ___________ (your Senator)
Congressman __________ (your Congressman)
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Working together, we can make our voices heard.
Judith McGeary
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
www.farmandranchfreedom.org
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=yn5cmbcab.0.s8g8c7bab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0261&p
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