There's still time to take action on the Farm Bill!

The House Committee on Agriculture has delayed the vote on the Farm Bill yet again, this time until July 17-19. So if you haven't called them yet, you still have time! And if you have called, feel free to call again!!

Chairman Peterson has released a new Chairman's Mark for Full Committee Consideration. http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html The good news is that federal pre-emption provision (Section 123) has been taken out! FARFA joined several other organizations in opposing this section, and our voices were heard!!

The bad news is that the new version still includes a section that would link NAIS to Country of Origin Labeling. It has been re-numbered as Section 11101. Like the previous Section 121, Section 11101 would allow the USDA to use a mandatory animal identification system in order to implement Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). Read more about why mandatory animal ID should not be used for COOL at http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/NAIS-and-COOL.

Take Action!

First, contact Chairman Collin Peterson:
Phone: 202-225-2171
Fax: 202-225-8510
Email: agriculture@mail.house.gov

Second, contact any member of the House Agriculture Committee who comes from your state. They are all listed below, in order of their states, starting with Alabama and ending with Wisconsin.

Third, contact Senator Harkin and any member of the Senate Agriculture Committee who comes from your state. They are listed after the House Committee below. The Senate Committee will be starting work on the Farm Bill at the end of July, and this may be our best hope for getting NAIS taken back out of the Farm Bill.

Last, contact your own Representative and Senator. Go to www.house.gov/writerep/ and www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm , or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask your Congressman and Senators to speak with the Chairs of the Committee, and any members of the Committee from your state, on your behalf.

The Message: Strip Section 11101 from the draft Farm Bill. The law barring the USDA from using mandatory animal identification to implement COOL should not be changed, and NAIS should not be put into the Farm Bill.

As always, if you have any questions, you can contact us at info@farmandranchfreedom.org or call 866-687-6452.

Talking points and a sample letter are at the end of this alert. Please write, email, fax, or call today! Calling can take less than a minute per call, or you can write just one letter and send copies of it to each person. That small investment of time is very important to the survival of independent agriculture!

ALSO: Download the new flyer and post it in your local feed stores, auction barns, co-ops, etc. Educate your friends and neighbors, and get them to call!

Listed below:
Members of the House Committee on Agriculture
Members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture
Talking Points
Sample Letter/E-mail.

House Committee on Agriculture

Name (State), Phone number, Fax number

Members are listed in order of their states (alphabetically). Please contact any members who come from your state. If you want to use e-mail, then go to the Congressperson's website, which you can find at http://www.house.gov/

Terry Everett (AL), (p) 202-225-2901, (f) 202-225-8913
Michael Rogers (AL), (p) 202-225-3261, (f) 202-226-8485
Jo Bonner (AL), (p) 202-225-4931, (f) 202-225-0562
Joe Baca (CA), (p) 202-225-6161, (f) 202-225-8671
Dennis Cardoza (CA), (p) 202-225-6131, (f) 202-225-0819
Jim Costa (CA), (p) 202-225-3341, (f) 202-225-9308
Kevin McCarthy (CA), (202) 225-2915, (f) 202-225-2908
John T. Salazar (CO), (p) 202-225-4761, (f) 202-226-9669
Marilyn Musgrove (CO), (p) 202-225-4676, (f) 202-225-5870
Timothy Mahoney (FL), (p) 202-225-5792, (f) 202-225-3132
David Scott (GA), (p) 202-225-2939, (f) 202-225-4628
Jim Marshall (GA), (p) 202-225-6531, (f) 202-225-3013
John Barrow (GA), (p) 866-890-6236, (f) 202-225-3377
Leonard L. Boswell, (IA), (p) 202-225-3806, (f) 202-225-5608
Steve King (IA), (p) 202-225-4426, (f) 202-225-3193
Timothy Johnson (IL), 202-225-2371, (f) 202-226-0791
Brad Ellsworth (IN), (p) 866-567-0227, (f) 202-225-3284
Joe Donnelly (IN), (p) 202-225-3915, (f) 202-225-6798
Nancy Boyda (KS), (p) 202-225-6601, (f) 202-225-7986
Jerry Moran (KS), (p) 202-225-2715, (f) 202-225-5124
Charles W. Boustany, Hr. (LA), (p) 202-225-2031, (f) 202-225-5724
Tim Walberg (MI), (p) 202-225-6276, (f) 202-225-6281
Collin Peterson (MN), (p) 202-225-2165, (f) 202-225-1593
Timothy J. Walz (MN), (p) 202-225-2472, (f) 202-225-3433
Sam Graves (MO), (p) 202-225-7041, (f) 202-225-8221
Earl Pomeroy, (ND), (p) 202-225-2611, (f) 202-226-0893
Mike McIntyre (NC), (p) 202-225-2731, (f) 202-225-5773
Bob Etheridge (NC), (p) 202-225-4531, (f) 202-225-5662
Robin Hayes, (NC), (p) 202-225-3715, (f)202-225-4036
Virginia Foxx (NC), (p) 202-225-2071, (f) 202-225-2995
Jeff Fortnberry (NE), (p) 202-225-4806, (f) 202-225-5686
Adrian Smith (NE), (p) 202-225-6435, (f) 202-225-0207
Kirsten Gillibrand, (NY), (p) 202-225-5614, (f)202-225-1168
John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (NY), 202-225-3161, (f) 202-226-6599
Zachary T. Space (OH), (p) 202-225-6265, (f) 330-364-4330
Jean Schmidt (OH), (p) 202-225-3164, (f) 202-225-1992
Frank D. Lucas (OK), (p) 202-225-5565, (f) 202-225-8698
Tim Holden (PA), (p) 202-225-5546, (f) 202-226-0996
Stephanie Herseth Sandline, (SD), (p) 202-225-2801, (f) 202-225-5823
Lincoln Davis, (TN), (p) 202-225-6831, 9f) 202-226-5172
Henry Cuellar (TX), (p) 202-225-1640, (f) 202-225-1641
Mike Conaway (TX), (p) 202-225-3605, (f) 202-225-1783
Randy Neugebauer (TX), (p) 202-225-4005, (f) 202-225-9615
Nicholas Lampson (TX), (p) 202-225-5951, (f) 202-225-5241
Bob Goodlatte (VA), (p) 202-225-5431, (f) 202-225-9681
Steve Kagen (WI), (p) 202-225-5665, (f) 202-225-5729

Senate Committee on Agriculture

Talking Points

* Please strip Section 11101 from the Farm Bill.

* The law barring the USDA from using mandatory animal identification to implement Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) should not be changed.

* COOL can be implemented simply by requiring that all imports of live animals or food be identified with a country of origin marking. Requiring U.S. livestock owners to individually identify and track all domestic livestock is not necessary.

* Using mandatory animal identification to implement COOL would impose heavy burdens on American farmers and ranchers, in both time and money. A National Animal ID System (NAIS) would drive independent ranches and farms in America out of business.

* The purpose of COOL is to provide information so that consumers can choose whether to buy domestic or foreign products and, as a hoped-for result, providing American farmers and ranchers with economic rewards for raising food in this country.

* NAIS will harm American farmers and ranchers, directly contrary to the goal of COOL.

Sample letter or email

If you use email, be sure to put a clear subject line, such as "Keep NAIS and Pre-emption language out of the Draft Farm Bill"

Dear Chairman Peterson and Members of the Committee:

I ask that you strip Section 11101 from the Farm Bill. This section would allow the USDA to use mandatory animal identification to implement Country of Origin Labeling. I strongly oppose this section.

I am a _______ (farmer, consumer, ... Tell them a few sentences about yourself and why you care about this issue)

The law barring the USDA from using mandatory animal identification to implement Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) should not be changed, and the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) should not be added to the Farm Bill. COOL can be implemented by requiring all imported livestock to be identified with a country of origin marking, which is already a requirement for cattle imported from Mexico or Canada. Requiring U.S. cattle producers to individually identify and track all livestock is not necessary.

Using mandatory animal identification to implement COOL will impose heavy burdens on American farmers and ranchers, in both time and money. NAIS will drive independent ranches and farms in America out of business. The purpose of COOL is to provide information so that consumers can choose whether to buy domestic or foreign products and, as a hoped-for result, providing American farmers and ranchers with economic rewards for raising food in this country. Mandatory animal identification will harm all Americans' rights and our economy, canceling out the benefits of COOL.

Please strip Section 11101 from the Farm Bill, and keep NAIS out of the Farm Bill.

Sincerely,
Name
Address
City, State Zip
Email ( if you have it)

Cc:  Senator Harkin
       Senator ___________ (your Senator)
       Congressman __________ (your Congressman)

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