ACTION ALERT

Calls to U.S. Senate Needed Now For
FAMILY FARMS and the ENVIRONMENT

November 5, 2001

Good News:
Right now, our nation's farm and conservation policies are being debated and voted on in the U.S. Senate. Up to this point, strong leadership by Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa on conservation issues has meant that an excellent new approach toward environmental stewardship on working farmlands has been moving forward in the Senate. Called the Conservation Security Act (CSA), this component of the Farm Bill would reward farmers who care for the land by paying for the public benefits -such as enhanced water quality, improved soil conservation, and increased wildlife habitat-that good stewardship farming produces. LSP's Federal Farm Policy Program, led by a 10-person committee of LSP members and staff, has been very involved with designing the CSA and working to pass it.

Bad News:
However, in the past week the Conservation Security Act has come under severe attack by Senators who want to switch funds that are proposed to be spent on conservation (for example, the estimated $500 million per year for the CSA proposed by Senator Harkin) over to even more "commodity program" payments-taxpayers' dollars given for the production of a handful of "program crops"-basically corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice. Environmentally, the adverse effects of this approach include more intensive row cropping, reduced biodiversity and higher rates of chemical applications and soil erosion. Economically, this excessive spending to maximize the production of a few crops means lower crop prices, cheaper feed costs for factory farms, and the abuse of taxpayer dollars by giving huge payments to the biggest farm operators. Commodity groups such as the National Pork Producers Council and agribusiness corporations like Cargill support this approach, but it is bad news for family farmers and for the environment. Farmers deserve a fair price for what they produce, but more dollars for flawed commodity program payments won't do it. Instead, we need conservation programs targeted to family farms, such as the Conservation Security Act.

One other point: proponents of factory farms are pushing for a change in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). They want EQIP funds, which have been used by family farmers to improve the environmental performance of their farms, to be used for subsidizing the construction of new factory farms and waste lagoons-all in the name of the environment! More money for factory farm expansion, less for family farm stewardship-bad idea.

Take Action: Call TODAY!

We need you to call Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton (202-224-3244) today and tell him he needs to support full funding for the Conservation Security Act. We need good policies for good land stewardship, and cutting the Conservation Security Act is a very bad step in the wrong direction! Also remind Senator Dayton that citizens across the country don't want their tax dollars going to support factory farms, and that you want him to prevent EQIP funds from subsidizing factory farm costs. The Senate Agriculture Committee, on which Senator Dayton serves, will be meeting about this during the week of November 5, so calling now is important. You may also contact Senator Dayton through his Web site at http://dayton.senate.gov.

In addition, call Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone (202-224-5641) and thank him for his continued support of the Conservation Security Act, and let him know you want to see it passed. Make sure he hears the message that factory farms should not be eligible for EQIP funds. Senator Wellstone also serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee. If you want, contact Senator Wellstone via e-mail at senator@wellstone.senate.gov.

Other calls to make, if you can:Call Senator Harkin (202-224-3254) and tell him to keep up the fight for a strong and well-funded Conservation Security Act. Tell him you don't support EQIP funds going for factory farms! If you live in a state other than Minnesota, call the Capitol Switchboard (202- 224-3121) and get your Senators' numbers. We expect the Farm Bill will go before the entire Senate right after it passes out of committee, so calls to all Senators are very important. We need strong policies enacted that protect the environment and support family farms, not factory farms.

For more information, and to let us know what response you received, contact Mark Schultz, LSP's Policy Program Director. Mark's phone number is 612-722-6377. His e-mail is marks@landstewardshipproject.org