As part of the Campaign for a Renewed Rural Development, RCAP was among those organizations that sent the letter below to members of Congress, asking them to pass the Farm Bill in 2012.
February 10, 2012
The Honorable Debbie Stabenow
Chairwoman
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Pat Roberts
Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Frank Lucas
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Collin Peterson
Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senators Stabenow and Roberts and Representatives Lucas and Peterson:
The 2012 farm bill is among the most important pieces of legislation the U.S. Congress will consider this year. We the undersigned have heard calls for an extension of current law. We ask you to reject these calls for delay and aggressively act to ensure that a new, comprehensive farm bill is passed this year.
Farmers need a safety net that works more effectively, and they need access to tools that help them be good stewards of our natural resources. The farm bill also provides essential resources to prevent hunger, which is especially critical during these tough economic times. The bill also addresses short and long-term job creation through streamlined and targeted rural economic development policies and investments in agricultural research.
A temporary extension of current policy creates tremendous uncertainty while serving to further none of these needs. We, therefore, stand ready to help you in an effort to pass a full, comprehensive reauthorization of the farm bill this year, without needless delay or disruption.
Sincerely,
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Farmland Trust
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Horticultural Sciences
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
American Veterinary Medical Association
Aquatic Plant Management Society
Association of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Board on Agriculture Assembly of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
Center for Rural Affairs
Community Food Security Coalition
Council for Agricultural Science & Technology (CAST)
CropLife America
Crop Life & Reinsurance Bureau
Crop Science Society of America
Ducks Unlimited
Environmental Defense Fund
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy
Fair Food Network
Green for All
Housing Assistance Council
Institute of Food Technologists
Izaak Walton League of America
Kentucky Waterways Alliance
Land Trust Alliance
League of Rural Voters
Midwest Dairy Coalition
Missouri Coalition for the Environment
National Agricultural Biotechnology Council (NABC)
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Association of Counties
National Association of Development Organizations
National Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils
National Association of Towns and Townships
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Audubon Society
National Barley Growers Association
National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NCBI)
National Catholic Rural Life Conference
National Coalition for Food & Agricultural Research
National Corn Growers Association
National Farmers Union
National Milk Producers Federation
National Organic Coalition
National Rural Health Association
National Sorghum Producers
National Sunflower Association
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Wildlife Federation
Northeastern Weed Science Society
North Central Weed Science Society
Organic Farming Research Foundation
Organic Trade Association
Partners for Rural America
Pheasants Forever
Pollinator Partnership
Quail Forever
Rain and Hail
Rural Community Assistance Corporation
Rural Community Assistance Partnership
Rural Community Insurance Services
Slow Food USA
Soil and Water Conservation Society
Soil Science Society of America
Southern Weed Science Society
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance
The Nature Conservancy
The Wildlife Society
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Union of Concerned Scientists
USA Dry Bean & Lentil Council
USA Rice Federation
US Canola Association
US Composting Council
US Rice Producers Association
Weed Science Society of America
Western Peanut Growers Association
Western Society of Weed Science
World Wildlife Fund
cc: The Honorable John Boehner
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
The Honorable Harry Reid
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Members of House and Senate Agriculture Committees