Here's another farm bill issue. HARMFUL AMENDMENT TO THE FARM BILL THREATENS ALL MIGRATORY BIRDS! Calls needed Monday. On February 6th, the Senate began to debate the farm bill - sweeping legislation that affects over 1 billion acres of land - more than half of the contiguous United States. The debate took a new turn: discussion of an amendment that seeks to exempt the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) - from all Migratory Bird Treaty Act laws and all National Environmental Policy Act laws. APHIS, formerly known as Animal Damage Control, shoos away or kills birds and wildlife that are considered by some to be pests. This amendment, known as the Hutchinson-Lincoln amendment for its two sponsors, Arkansas Senators Tim Hutchinson and Blanche Lincoln, will enable APHIS to carry out programs that could ultimately allow the killing of birds including Robins, hawks, songbirds, and ducks because all oversight of their activities are eliminated. This amendment sets a terrible precedent - we need to see that the Senate does not attach this amendment to the farm bill - and we need your help! The Amendment will be up for a vote on Monday afternoon, so we're asking you to contact our two U.S. Senators and urge them to OPPOSE THE HUTCHINSON-LINCOLN APHIS AMENDMENT TO THE FARM BILL! You can reach our Senators directly by calling (202) 224-3121 and asking for them by name. Posted by Jane Clark [log in to unmask] Des Moines - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]