We are coming down to the last fight – now that the Senate has passed a farm bill they must reconcile this legislation in conference committee with the House. This committee could meet as early as February 25 to iron out the differences between the two bills, so time is crucial. This will be the last negotiations on a farm bill that will last a minimum of five years. Please take a brief moment out of your busy schedule to help ensure this legislation serves, as best possible, the interests of family farmers and the environment.

The Senate’s FULL Conservation and Energy titles, which contain appropriately funding, strong stewardship incentives and important policy considerations for farm-based conservation.

Measures that level the playing field between farmers and agribusiness, including the Johnson-Grassley packer ownership ban and the ban on forced binding arbitration clauses.

Measures that better direct taxpayers’ dollars, including the Dorgan-Grassley payment limitation, Durbin’s prohibition on subsidies for grasslands newly converted to crops, and Wellstone’s amendments to better direct EQIP funding.

Measures to help beginning farmers, minority farmers, improve rural development, enact country of origin labeling and enhance local value adding and marketing.

Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa)

Des Moines: 515-284-4574
Cedar Rapids: 319-365-4504
Davenport: 319-322-1338
Dubuque: 319-582-2130
Sioux City: 712-252-1550
Washington: 202-224-3254

Senator Patrick Leahy (Vermont)

Burlington: 802-863-2525
Montpelier: 802-229-0569
Washington: 202-224-4242

Senator Kent Conrad (North Dakota)

Bismarck: 701-258-4648
Fargo: 701-232-8030
Grand Forks: 701-775-9601
Minot: 701-852-0703
Washington: 202-224-2043

Senator Tom Daschle (South Dakota)

Aberdeen: 605-225-8823
Sioux Falls: 605-334-9596
Rapid City: 605-348-7551
Washington: 202-224-2321

Senator Richard Lugar (Indiana)

Indianapolis: 317-226-5555
Jeffersonville: 812-288-3377
Ft. Wayne: 219-422-1505
Merrillville: 219-736-9084
Evansville: 812-465-6313
Washington: 202-224-4814

Senator Jesse Helms (North Carolina)

Raleigh: 919-856-4630
Hickory: 828-322-5170
Washington: 202-224-6342

Senator Thad Cochran (Mississippi)

Jackson: 601-965-4459
Oxford: 662-236-1018
Washington: 202-224-5054

Representative Larry Combest (Texas)

Lubbock: 806-763-1611
Amarillo: 806-353-3945
Odessa: 915-332-0742
Washington: 202-225-4005

Representative John Boehner (Ohio)

Hamilton: 513-870-0300
Troy: 937-339-1524
Washington: 202-225-6205

Representative Bob Goodlatte (Virginia)

Roanoke: 540-857-2672
Staunton: 540-885-3861
Harrisonburg: 540-432-2391
Lynchburg: 804-845-8306
Washington: 202-225-5431

Representative Richard Pombo (California)

Stockton: 209-951-3091
Washington: 202-225-1947

Representative Jerry Moran (Kansas)

Hutchinson: 316-665-6138
Hays: 785-628-6401
Washington: 202-225-2715

Representative Terry Everett (Alabama)

Dothan: 334-794-9680
Montgomery: 334-277-9113
Opp: 334-493-9253
Washington: 202-225-2901

Representative Frank Lucas (Oklahoma)

Oklahoma City: 405-235-5311
Woodward: 580-256-5752
Enid: 580-233-9224
Clinton: 580-323-6232
Washington: 202-225-5565

Representative Saxby Chambliss (Georgia)

Macon: 912-752-0880
Waycross: 912-287-1180
Washington: 202-225-6531

Representative Charles Stenholm (Texas)

Stamford: 915-773-3623
Abilene: 915-673-7221
San Angelo: 915-655-7994
Washington: 202-225-6605

Representative Gary Condit (California)

Modesto: 209-527-1914
Merced: 209-383-4455
Washington: 202-225-6131

Representative Collin Peterson (Minnesota)

Detroit Lakes: 218-847-5056
Waite Park: 320-259-0559
Red Lake Falls: 218-253-4356
Washington: 202-225-2165

Representative Calvin Dooley (California)

Fresno: 559-441-7496
Washington: 202-225-3341
Representative Eva Clayton (North Carolina)
Norlina: 252-456-4800
Greenville: 252-758-8800
Washington: 202-225-3101

Representative Tim Holden (Pennsylvania)

Pottsville: 570-622-4212
Reading: 610-371-9931
Washington: 202-225-5546

February 25, 2002

We the undersigned national, state, and local organizations join in urging you to adopt the conservation and energy titles of the Senate farm bill during conference deliberations. In our view, the Senate adopted comprehensive, appropriately funded titles, with strong stewardship incentives and very important policy considerations with respect to soil and water quality and conservation, wetlands, wildlife, renewable energy, energy efficiency, sprawl, and other natural resource and environmental concerns. Passage of the Senate titles will not only improve environmental protection, energy security, and natural resource conservation, but will also provide significant new income streams for farmers and ranchers and rural communities.

To sign your group on, please contact Aimee Delach at adelach@defenders.org