This past week the House voted on the Fairness in Food and Farm Policy Amendment, which would reform the Farm Bill to make it better for farmers, God’s creation, consumers, and people living in poverty and suffering from hunger both in the United States and around the world. (For more background on the amendment, visit http://ga6.org/elca_advocacy/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=8720616 - for full text of the amendment, visit http://www.rules.house.gov/110/special_rules/hr2419/110-110_hr2419_kind110.pdf)

Your Calls Made a Difference

Thanks to those of you who called your Representatives in response to our action alert!  Unfortunately, the amendment was defeated on a vote of 117-309. Learn how your Representative voted: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll747.xml.  If your representative voted yes, please call or write to thank him or her.

Though the Farm Bill passed the House without this amendment, your calls did make a difference!  The pressure you helped to build for Farm Bill reform resulted in last-minute amendments increasing funding for nutrition programs and conservation programs.

Keep the Pressure On During August Recess!

The farm bill debate is far from over. There are still many steps in the process of finalizing this legislation. As the focus turns to the Senate, which must now develop and consider its own version of the Farm Bill, know that together we have built momentum for making changes in our farm and food policy to better serve farmers, consumers, hungry people and God’s earth!

Now is the time to keep the pressure on! As the House and Senate wrap up work this week in preparation to return home for the August recess, consider writing a letter to the editor on the Farm Bill or attending a town meeting sponsored by your Senators while they're in their districts next month.  Educate others in your community about the importance of the Farm Bill, and encourage them to advocate for change by taking the Food Stamp Challenge or by joining Faith Farm Teams. 

Learn more about the Farm Bill:
http://www.elca.org/advocacy/issues/farmbill/index.html