What's Happening MSU Organic Listserv July 9, 2007
1. More Time to Take Action On the Farm Bill - Again!
2. House subcommittee votes to extend current farm law (Not really but
contains good background info).
3. Guidelines for Fruit & Vegetable Processors
4. COOL comment period extended
5 Non organic Exceptions Ruffle Enthusiasts of Organic Food
6. WHERE DID ALL THE HONEYBEES GO?
7. CHECK EARLY PLANTED (late April) BEANS for SOY APHID.
8. NEW BULLETIN HELPS FARMERS FIGHT HONEYBEE PROBLEMS
9. 2007 Select Michigan Farmers' Market Promotion Opportunities
10. Pasture walk: Maynard Beery's farm: Grass-fed Beef On August 7 in
Mason, MI
1. More Time to Take Action On the Farm Bill - Again!
The House Committee on Agriculture has delayed the vote on the Farm Bill
yet again, this time until July 17-19. So if you haven't called them
yet, you still have time! And if you have called, feel free to call
again!!
Chairman Peterson has released a new Chairman's Mark for Full Committee
Consideration. http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=m77raccab.0.ctkpkacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fagriculture.house.gov%2Finside%2F2007FarmBill.html> The
good news is that federal pre-emption provision (Section 123) has been
taken out! FARFA joined several other organizations in opposing this
section, and our voices were heard!!
The bad news is that the new version still includes a section that would
link NAIS to Country of Origin Labeling. It has been re-numbered as
Section 11101. Like the previous Section 121, Section 11101 would allow
the USDA to use a mandatory animal identification system in order to
implement Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). Read more about why
mandatory animal ID should not be used for COOL at
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/NAIS-and-COOL
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=m77raccab.0.dtkpkacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&p
=http%3A%2F%2Ffarmandranchfreedom.org%2Fcontent%2FNAIS-and-COOL> .
Take Action!
First, contact Chairman Collin Peterson:
Phone: 202-225-2171
Fax: 202-225-8510
Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Second, contact any member of the House Agriculture Committee who comes
from your state. They are all listed below, in order of their states,
starting with Alabama and ending with Wisconsin.
Third, contact Senator Harkin and any member of the Senate Agriculture
Committee who comes from your state. They are listed after the House
Committee below. The Senate Committee will be starting work on the Farm
Bill at the end of July, and this may be our best hope for getting NAIS
taken back out of the Farm Bill.
Last, contact your own Representative and Senator. Go to
www.house.gov/writerep/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=m77raccab.0.n8g8c7bab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.house.gov%2Fwriterep%2F> and
www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=m77raccab.0.togiyacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&p
=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.senate.gov%2Fgeneral%2Fcontact_information%2Fsenators_
cfm.cfm> , or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask
your Congressman and Senators to speak with the Chairs of the Committee,
and any members of the Committee from your state, on your behalf.
The Message: Strip Section 11101 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.
As always, if you have any questions, you can contact us at
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[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
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.house.gov/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=m77raccab.0.vogiyacab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&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] <mailto:[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=m77raccab.0.o8g8c7bab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&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] <mailto:[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=m77raccab.0.5jwsjbcab.bz6ym9bab.1228&ts=S0262&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 Section 11101 from the draft Farm Bill. I oppose the
National Animal ID System (NAIS).
* 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.
Sample letter or email
If you use email, be sure to put a clear subject line, such as "Keep
mandatory animal ID out of the Draft Farm Bill"
Dear Chairman Peterson and Members of the Committee:
I ask that you strip Section 11101 from the Farm Bill. Section
11101would allow the USDA to use mandatory animal identification to
implement Country of Origin Labeling, and I am opposed to any provision
that opens the door to the National Animal Identification System.
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.
Please strip Section 11101 from the draft Farm Bill, and keep NAIS out
of the Farm Bill.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
City, State Zip
Email ( if you have it)
Cc: Senator Harkin
Senator ___________ (your Senator)
Congressman __________ (your Congressman)
Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist
Michigan State University
C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resources Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/
http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/
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