Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Farm Bill Update

The farm bill is up for vote in the House tomorrow. The bill as it stands keeps the status quo, big subsidies going to industrial farms while the small farmer is left out in the cold. Here is info from Oxfam America:

"The Farm Bill will govern our food and farm policy for the next five years, and the House has scheduled a vote for Thursday. Luckily, there is still time to make a difference, but we need your help today to make that happen.

Please call your representative and ask him/her to support the Fairness Amendment to the Farm Bill offered by Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ). This bipartisan amendment will reduce trade-distorting subsidies and shift funds to programs that feed hungry families, protect the environment, and help poor and minority farmers.

It's fast and simple, and it can make a big difference. Please follow these simple instructions.

1. Please call 1-800-977-1912.
2. An automated message will give you simple instructions on what to say.
3. When prompted, press the pound key (#) to reach the Capitol switchboard and ask to be connected to your representative's office. "

Here is another place to get information on another amendment being introduced: http://www.cfra.org/farmbill/farmbillreform.html

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I heard the president is threatening to veto the farm bill because of spending issues. Have you heard anything about this?

Christy said...

I hadn't heard about the president vetoing. I'll have to research that. Is he going to veto no matter what or just the current version? A veto could be good because it would stop the subsidies to the mega-farms. Maybe then the price of processed foods will be closer to the real price and more people will start visiting farm markets. Too much to hope for probably. I'll keep you informed of anything I hear.

Anonymous said...

There was just a little ticker down at the bottom during the local newscast the other night stating the president said he will probably veto the bill because some of the proposed programs will raise taxes and that the accounting was "creative". That's it.