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This Just in from www.HealthyFarmBill.org

At last, the Farm Bill is on the eve of its final House and Senate votes this week!

The good news: many priorities needed for healthier, fresher, more equitable, and diverse farm and food systems have been adopted in the final Farm Bill
Conference Report. 

The bad news: the final Farm Bill Conference Report before Congress doesn’t go far enough in reforming the inequitable commodity subsidy system nor expanding and improving conservation programs.

The situation now: the President indicates he will veto the Farm Bill for failing to offer enough subsidy reform.  A veto could pressure the House and Senate to accept more reform in this bill, but the President appears to be adamant in his preference for a one-year extension of the current 2002 Farm Bill.  An extension would perpetuate the status quo and risk the gains we have made thus far for many critical and new food, farm, and conservation programs. 
The Farm and Food Policy Project partners have different opinions on the pros and cons of supporting the final Farm Bill Conference Report.  However, we want to inform you of the situation and encourage you to register you opinion with your Representative and Senators.

Below are links to position summaries of individual Farm and Food Policy Project partners to help you determine whether or not to urge your Representative and Senators to support the Farm Bill conference report:


American Farmland Trust http://www.farmland.org/programs/campaign/bills.asp
Community Food Security Coalition http://www.foodsecurity.org/policyarchives.html
Farm and Food Policy Project Diversity Initiative / Rural Coalition http://www.ruralco.org/
Environmental Defense Fund http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=20098
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition http://sustainableagriculturecoalition.org/

A checklist of consensus policy provisions, and their status in the Farm Bill are posted here http://www.farmandfoodproject.org/.
If you wish to contact your Representative and Senators to urge them to vote one way or the other on the Farm Bill conference report, call the Capitol Switch Board TODAY (202-224-3121) and ask to speak with your Representative and Senators. 


Ask for the staff person that works on the Farm Bill

Indicate that you are a constituent

Tell the staff person your recommendation of how the Member should vote

Indicate 1-3 reasons why
Thanks for your continued interest.  We will continue to post updates on the Farm Bill on www.farmandfoodproject.org.
Sincerely,
The Farm and Food Policy Project Partners