Fair Food in Fairfield County Schools
Advocates for a sustainable school food environment
Urgent action to support sustainable ag in stimulus bill!
I just got this notice from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and wanted to pass it on to this group. Hope you can make a few calls to Rep. DeLauro. She's been a strong advocate on such issues in the past, but a little extra pressure never hurts!
An Alert from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS WRITING
FINAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE NOW:
ACT TODAY TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PRIORITIES
Leaders of the House and Senate are already meeting to work out the differences between their respective economic recovery bills, even as the Senate moves toward final passage of its version Tuesday morning. Both the House and Senate bills spend over $800 billion to help pull the country out of recession, but there are very significant differences between the bills that have to be worked out before final passage. Congress aims to have the final version of the bill finished and sent to the President yet this week.
Please call Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro at (202) 225-3661 and ask for Brian Ronholm, her staff aid.
The message is simple. Once connected, leave a message with Brian Ronholm telling him that you support the economic recovery bill but that you urge the Congresswoman to support the Senate version of the bill on two specific Department of Agriculture items: funding for the WIC program and funding for farm loans. Be sure to leave your name and contact information.
Additional Information. Two issues in particular loom large in the House-Senate conference committee for sustainable food and agriculture activists. We support:
1. The $500 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) feeding program rather than the $100 million in the House bill. Regular WIC funding this year has run short, so the extra money in the recovery bill is needed to address hunger and nutrition and also to ensure that Congress isn’t forced to rob farm bill conservation, renewable energy, organic, beginning farmer, and healthy food programs in the agriculture appropriations bill for 2009 (the next order of business for Congress) in order to make up for the WIC shortfall. Even more is needed than the Senate figure if WIC is to be fully funded without cuts to the other programs, so it is very important that there is no deal to compromise with the House number. The $500 million should be the minimum acceptable number.
2. The $650 million worth of farm loans funded by the Senate bill to help keep family farms in business during the financial collapse. As underwriting standards tighten and credit dries up, more farmers will turn to government loans and government guarantees of private commercial loans to finance their operations. USDA predicts that $650 million is the minimum extra funding that will be needed in the coming 18 months. The House bill does not include any funding for farm loans. The extra loan money in the Senate bill would help keep existing family farming operations in business, with significant shares of the total specifically directed toward beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Remember, the bill will likely be finalized before the end of the week, and then be sent to the President for his signature.
Act now! After you call, pass this message on to others too!
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
110 Maryland Ave. Suite 209
Washington DC 20002
ph: 202-547-5754
http://www.sustainableagriculturecoalition.org/
Unsubscribe from receiving email, or change your email preferences.
An Alert from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS WRITING
FINAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE NOW:
ACT TODAY TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PRIORITIES
Leaders of the House and Senate are already meeting to work out the differences between their respective economic recovery bills, even as the Senate moves toward final passage of its version Tuesday morning. Both the House and Senate bills spend over $800 billion to help pull the country out of recession, but there are very significant differences between the bills that have to be worked out before final passage. Congress aims to have the final version of the bill finished and sent to the President yet this week.
Please call Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro at (202) 225-3661 and ask for Brian Ronholm, her staff aid.
The message is simple. Once connected, leave a message with Brian Ronholm telling him that you support the economic recovery bill but that you urge the Congresswoman to support the Senate version of the bill on two specific Department of Agriculture items: funding for the WIC program and funding for farm loans. Be sure to leave your name and contact information.
Additional Information. Two issues in particular loom large in the House-Senate conference committee for sustainable food and agriculture activists. We support:
1. The $500 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) feeding program rather than the $100 million in the House bill. Regular WIC funding this year has run short, so the extra money in the recovery bill is needed to address hunger and nutrition and also to ensure that Congress isn’t forced to rob farm bill conservation, renewable energy, organic, beginning farmer, and healthy food programs in the agriculture appropriations bill for 2009 (the next order of business for Congress) in order to make up for the WIC shortfall. Even more is needed than the Senate figure if WIC is to be fully funded without cuts to the other programs, so it is very important that there is no deal to compromise with the House number. The $500 million should be the minimum acceptable number.
2. The $650 million worth of farm loans funded by the Senate bill to help keep family farms in business during the financial collapse. As underwriting standards tighten and credit dries up, more farmers will turn to government loans and government guarantees of private commercial loans to finance their operations. USDA predicts that $650 million is the minimum extra funding that will be needed in the coming 18 months. The House bill does not include any funding for farm loans. The extra loan money in the Senate bill would help keep existing family farming operations in business, with significant shares of the total specifically directed toward beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Remember, the bill will likely be finalized before the end of the week, and then be sent to the President for his signature.
Act now! After you call, pass this message on to others too!
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
110 Maryland Ave. Suite 209
Washington DC 20002
ph: 202-547-5754
http://www.sustainableagriculturecoalition.org/
Unsubscribe from receiving email, or change your email preferences.
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