The following ELCA E-Advocacy Network action alert is being forwarded to LAMPa’s ACTIONET (our Pennsylvania Network):

 

ELCA e-Advocacy Network U.S. Farm Bill Action Alert

 

Call Today to Support a Just Farm Bill!

House to Vote This Thursday!

The House of Representatives is about to consider the 2007 Farm Bill. This bill will have significant consequences for farmers, God's creation, consumers and people living in poverty and suffering from hunger both in the United States and around the world. However, the bill that was written by the House Agriculture Committee maintains the current system of farm supports, which rewards large commodity farmers and ignores the needs of smaller, struggling farmers. 

As the bill goes to the floor, please urge your Representative to support real farm bill reform! The Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment will reform and cap unlimited commodity payments that hurt subsistence farmers in poor countries by keeping market prices artificially low while continuing to provide a safety net for small and mid-sized farmers in the United States. The Fairness Amendment would use savings from these changes to increase funding for priority farm bill programs including nutrition, rural development and farm conservation.
[Further background]

Policy Base
"We commit ourselves as a church and urge members to...pray for and support those who farm the land..." Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All (1999)
[more]

For more information on the Farm Bill, visit the Farm Bill FAQ.

Call now!

Dial 1-888-784-0527 to reach the Capitol switchboard and ask the operator to connect you to your Representative's office, or call your Representative directly [You can also find your representative's number by going to the LAMPa website at www.lamp.org.  Enter your zip code in the "Find Your Elected Officials" box under the left menu.]

 

Sample call script:

 

"My name is _________ and I am calling from __________ . I would like to urge Representative _____ to support reform in this year's farm bill by voting "yes" on the Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment.

"As a constituent and a person of faith, I support a just Farm Bill. I urge the Representative to reject the Farm Bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee which would preserve a system that primarily supports the largest and wealthiest farmers, and urge him/her to support real reforms to the Farm Bill to help the farmers who need it most.

"The Family Farm Reform Amendment would change commodity policies so that they do not distort commodity prices and supply in ways that make it harder for farmers in poor countries to feed their families. And the Family Farm Reform Amendment would increase funding for priority programs in the farm bill that feed hungry people, protect God's creation, and help rural communities."