Ask Congress to Cut Subsidies to Big Agriculture

I received this from the great local group, Hunger Action Los Angeles, a group that focuses on providing sufficient, affordable, healthy food to all, http://www.hungeractionla.org/. and thought I 'd pass it on here verbatim since they can say it best. It's about the seemingly endless struggle to pass the "2007" Farm Bill and how there's an opportunity to help family farmers and address the worldwide food shortage all at once:

"Congress has once again passed a two-week extension to the 2002 Farm Bill so they can continue working on the “2007” Farm Bill.

The main issue now are billions of dollars in ag subsidies. President Bush has weighed in, with suggestions that he would veto a bill that didn’t cut the huge payments to U.S. farms.

'Americans are concerned about rising food prices,' President Bush said. 'Unfortunately, Congress is considering a massive, bloated farm bill that would do little to solve the problem. The bill Congress is now considering would fail to eliminate subsidy payments to multimillionaire farmers.

'America’s farm economy is thriving, the value of farmland is skyrocketing, and this is the right time to reform our nation’s farm policies by reducing unnecessary subsidies. It’s not the time to ask American families who are already paying more in the check-out line to pay more in subsidies for wealthy farmers.'

http://deltafarmpress.com/farmbill/conference-postponed-0430/

Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard (1-202-224-3121) and ask to speak to any of our California representatives below. If you’re not in their district, remind the person you talk to on the phone that this is a national issue:

Rep Maxine Waters (South LA): Rep Henry Waxman (West LA): Rep Brad Sherman (San Fernando Valley)
Rep Howard Berman: Rep Joe Baca (San Bernardino): Rep George Miller: Rep Dennis Cardoza

“Thank you for passing $10 billion in nutrition increases in the Farm Bill. This is desperately needed as food stamps only average $3 a day in benefits and food prices are rising.”

“Please support the effort to reduce the huge ag subsidies. This will allow farmers in poor countries to be able to look forward to getting realistic prices so that they can expand their own production and feed their own people."

(Currently the subsidies allow the US to sell its products cheaper overseas and put local farmers out of business.)"

Me talking again, let's see if we can make a difference by getting involved!!