1. NEW LIST SERVE ON US FEDERAL FARM BILL

The Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy (IATP) has started a new list serve that will be dedicated to US Federal Farm Bill debates. Subscribers to the list are encouraged to post relevant press releases, news stories, reports and policy analysis. According to IATP, the list will not allow personal comments and debates to keep the posting from being overwhelming. To subscribe to the list send an email to listserve@iatp.org and type "subscribe farmbillnews" in the body of the message.

2. FARMERS GAS TANKS: HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?

With gasoline prices rising, the cost of fertilizer and other petroleum based agricultural products is skyrocketing. While this is causing concern to many, organic farmers are less worried because their fertilizers are not petroleum based. Moreover, while the organic market is the fasting growing food sector (20% annually for five years) an editorial in the New Scientist suggests that on small farms, yields are increased by switching to organic methods.

"Low-tech 'sustainable agriculture'," says the editorial, "is shunning chemicals in favor of natural pest control and fertilizer. This is pushing up crop yields on poor farms across the world, often by 70 per cent or more." The editorial can be viewed at http://www.newscientist.com/editorial/editorial_227629.html

3. ALASKA FARM BUREAU BACKS "RIGHT TO FARM"

The Associated Press reports that the Alaska Farm Bureau is pushing legislation to prevent people who move next to "farms" from seeking to declare them a nuisance. According to the AP report this legislation is crafted after similar laws in the lower 48 states, typically called "Right to Farm" laws. Many farmers, however, report that these laws have been exploited by agribusiness giants to protect mega factory animal farms from legal reproach.

They argue these operations have little to do with farming, and more resemble "industrial operations" and should be regulated as such. Commenting on the legislation Alaska Farm Bureau President Bob Franklin said, "We are looking at future (land) use," For a look at Farm Bureau leadership's financial connection to giant agribusiness and factory farming, see the Defenders of Wildlife Report, "Amber Waves of Gain" and the chapter entitled "Plumping for Factory Animal Farms." at: http://www.familyfarmer.org/awg.html

4. CONSUMER "RIGHT TO KNOW" BILL INTRODUCED

According to a press release by the National Farmers Union, (February 8, 2001) Senator Tim Johnson, D-S.D. has introduced the "Consumer Right-to-Know Act of 2001." This bill, according to the release, will "require country-of-origin labels on meat and produce sold to retail consumers in the United States. The bill requires that beef, lamb, pork and perishable agricultural commodities be labeled at the retail point of sale, identifying the country of origin of the commodities."