6/11/03

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1. Action Alert: Two Sign-On Letters 
2. House of Representatives Launches Organic Caucus 
3. Rahall Introduces Bill to Fight Invasive Species 
4. Report Shows Greenhouse Gases are Ballooning

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1. ACTION ALERT: TWO PESTICIDE SIGN-ON LETTERS 

Please take a moment to ask the EPA not to grant emergency exemption for the use of the pesticide carbofuran on 2.4 million acres of cotton in Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. This chemical is so toxic to birds, bees and other wildlife that the EPA placed severe restrictions on its use in 1990. However, states have been able to go about "business-as-usual" by applying for "emergency exemptions" every year. 

Most of the time, the EPA grants these exemptions, despite the fact that there is no evidence that cotton yields drop in the years that the exemptions are not granted. Please take a moment to visit www.saveourbirds.org and oppose the use of carbofuran.  

The deadline is June 12!  The Migrant Farmworker Justice Project in Florida is also seeking individuals and organizations to sign on to a letter asking Congress not to block the phase out of the toxic and ozone depleting chemical methyl bromide. This chemical is used to sterilize soils prior to planting tomato, strawberry, pepper, cucumber and other vegetable crops. It is highly toxic to farmers, farm workers and anyone else in proximity to where it is being used, and is also the most powerful ozone depleting chemical still in widespread use. The deadline for signons is June 19. To receive a copy of the letter, send an email to Intern_migrant@floridalegal.org.

2. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LAUNCHES ORGANIC CAUCUS 

With the organic food market exploding, the House of Representatives is stepping up to the plate - the organic plate.  Last month five Republicans and sixteen Democrats officially formed "The Organic Caucus."  

The stated purpose of this bipartisan effort is to "enhance availability and understanding of information related to the production and processing of organic agricultural products." Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA 17th), who authored the nation's first comprehensive organic standards while he was a member of the California state legislature in 1990, said,  "With new organic standards now in effect, consumers are demanding greater availability and farmers are seeking solutions to their organic production problems."  Bob Scowcroft, Executive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). 

"Organic farmers and their supporters should call their representatives and ask them to join the Caucus.  When it comes to Capitol Hill, there is strength in numbers,"  For more information on the Organic Agriculture Caucus, contact Troy Phillips, Office of Congressman Farr, 202- 225-2861; See list of caucus members.

3. RAHALL INTRODUCES BILL TO FIGHT INVASIVE SPECIES

Invasive species are a huge and growing problem, causing billions of dollars a year in damage to crops, lost value of grazing lands, harm to forests, and degradation of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. A new bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Nick Rahall (D-WV), the Species Protection and Conservation of the Environment Act, would provide additional tools in the arsenal to fight invasive species. 

The bill provides grants for states to assess and prioritize their invasive species problems, grants for landowners and federal and state managers to eradicate invasives, and rapid response capabilities to allow land managers to respond to emergency situations. Please contact your Representative via the Capitol switchboard 202-224-3121 and ask him or her to co- sponsor HR 2310, the SPACE Act.

4. NEW REPORT SHOWS GREENHOUSE GASES BALLOONING 

The United Nations has just released a new report on global climate change that shows world greenhouse emissions are rising. Read the full story. 

The report is now before the U.N. Environment Climate Change Convention's 190 nation member body meeting in Bonn, Germany. The report shows the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from Europe, Japan, the United States and other industrialized countries could grow by 17 percent from 2000 to 2010, despite measures in place to curb them. Although the United States will not ratify the Kyoto Protocol under President George W.  Bush, U.S.  

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman Friday announced that for the first time, the U.S.  Department of Agriculture will give consideration to management practices that store carbon dioxide and reduce greenhouse gases in implementing forest and agriculture conservation programs.  "Farmers, ranchers and forest land owners can play a unique role in reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of the U.S.  economy," Veneman said.  Read the full story.