From: National Campaign For Sustainable Agriculture
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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001
Subject: Urgent-Action Needed!
FY02 FUNDING ACTION ALERT - PLEASE ACT QUICKLY!!
March 15, 2001
Please immediately write Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Tom Latham
(R-5th) to urge them to champion funding for two key federal programs for
Fiscal Year 2002 (FY02).
Sustainable agriculture funding is threatened. President Bush’s budget cuts
agricultural spending from its current $19.3 billion to $17.9 billion for
FY02. Even before budget details emerge next month, we know that
sustainable agriculture programs could easily be the first to go unless we
fight for them.
Why Senator Harkin and Congressman Latham?
Each sits on the appropriations subcommittee that determines funding for
agriculture programs, including ours. Their funding priorities must be
submitted by early April, so it is important that you write them quickly to
urge their strongest possible support.
The message is simple:
• Please ask Senator Cochran to make the Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education and direct farm credit programs top funding priorities for
FY02.
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) - This linchpin
program funds farmer-driven research and outreach on cost-effective,
environmentally sound farming practices. SARE's solid track record, regional
structure, and close links between research and outreach mean that farmers
nationwide get reliable information they need on how to stay in business
while being environmentally responsible. We seek $20 million - $15 million
for research and $5 million for extension and outreach, to begin to address
needs created by years of funding shortfalls.
• Direct Farm Credit - $200 million in loan funds for Direct Farm Ownership
Loans (DFO) (up from $128m now) and $700 million in Direct Farm Operating
Loans (DOL) (up from $525m now). These programs offer farmers access to
affordable credit essential to their successful startup and operation of
farms. Amounts requested are the actual loan amounts; the appropriated
amount is much smaller, reflecting only the amount of the credit subsidy
rather than the total loan volume.
It’s easy to write. On the back are Senator Harkin and Congressman Latham’s
addresses plus key points you may find helpful to make. Short simple letters
in your own words are best. But above all, please write them soon, in time
to arrive in their offices by Thursday, April 5.
If you’ve written before, please do so again. Your letters and calls have
tremendous impact. Last year several key programs got increases thanks to
people like you. This year, our programs are threatened if we don’t act
quickly. Thank you for writing immediately!
P.S. Did you receive an alert to support a budget resolution this year to
lay the foundation for a comprehensive, progressive farm bill next year?
If so, please act on that alert as well as ask Sen. Harkin and Rep. Latham
to fight for these key programs in this year’s appropriations process!
Please send your letters to:
The Honorable Tom Latham
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Tom Harkin
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Congressman Latham:
Dear Senator Harkin:
Key Points You May Want to Make:
• You live in Iowa, and you support $20 million for SARE and feel strongly
that farmers should receive information they need on profitable,
environmentally sound farming methods, and innovative ways to market and add
value to their goods. These are top priority needs - even when budgets are
tight. (If you’re a farmer, give a brief example of information you need
and any personal experience you’ve had with SARE.)
• In its 13-year history, SARE has funded 64 projects specifically
addressing Iowa farmers' questions. Nationwide, SARE’s solid track record,
regional structure, and close links between research and outreach mean that
research stays focused on users’ needs and results are efficiently
distributed.
• SARE is drastically underfunded; despite its efficiency, SARE is so
strapped it can only fund 15% of proposals submitted.
• Direct farm credit programs are necessary to help farmers, but approved
applications are greater than available funding. For example, the Direct
Farm Ownership loan program is so underfunded that it ran out of loan funds
for this year after just 4 months and has a considerable waiting list.
• Direct farm credit programs are efficient. Each dollar appropriated makes
$7 to $10 of loans available to farmers. Appropriated levels reflect only
the government’s cost of running the programs, including the subsidy that
allows for lower interest rates, a projected default rate for each type of
loan, and other administrative costs.
• The DFO and DOL credit programs have provisions to facilitate access to
credit for beginning farmers, minority farmers, and other family farmers
with limited resources. For example, 70% of DFO funds and 25% of DOL funds
are reserved for beginning farmers for most of the year.
• Some congressional aides may say that no programs at all will get funding
increases, yet we know that some increases are indeed anticipated.
• Thank Sen. Harkin and Rep. Latham for their past support. Ask them to
prioritize these programs, which won’t get increases they badly need - and
might get cut - without a champion in each house. Ask for their responses
whether each will lead in seeking these modest increases.
(To be effective, letters must be received by Thursday, April 5. If you
can’t write in time, please call Sen. Harkin’s aide, Stephanie Mercier, at
(202) 224-2035 and Rep. Latham’s aide, Hayden Milberg, at (202) 225-5476, or
if necessary, leave messages with your key points, name and phone number.)
THANK YOU again for acting to protect these programs!
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Thank you for returning this coupon to the National Campaign for Sustainable
Agriculture, P.O. Box 396, Pine Bush, NY 12566
_____ I sent a letter to
____ I telephoned Sen. Harkin on agricultural appropriations.
_____ I sent a letter to
____ I telephoned Rep. Latham on agricultural appropriations
Name ____________________________________________
Address __________________________________________
Phone ( )_______________ Fax ( ) ______________ e-mail:
Sheilah Davidson
Administrative Director
National Campaign for
Sustainable Agriculture
P.O. Box 396
Pine Bush, NY 12566
P: 845-744-8448
F: 845-744-8477
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