The Sierra Club supports a ban on meat packers owning animals. This was
passed as amendment to the Farm Bill before the last recess. Because of
pressure from the meat packing industry it is being debated again. This
amendment is supported by many conservative Senators for example, Iowa's
Senator Grassley. The Iowa Pork Producers support this amendment while
the national organization is against it. Also, this may be one of the
few time where the Farm Bureau and these organizations agree.

 Subject:     List of Sign ons on packer ban
                    12:20
PM
This is the letter that was distributed this a.m. to Senate:


February 11, 2002


Dear Senator,


We urge you to keep the Johnson-Grassley Packer Ownership Amendment and

oppose the Craig Amendment to the farm bill. The Johnson-Grassley
amendment

will result in less market distortion and improved competition, and more

open access to markets for family farmers and ranchers throughout the

country. This improvement in basic market fairness and competition is
good

for all Americans.


The Johnson-Grassley Amendment was passed on the Senate floor in
December,

but is now under attack not by family farmers and ranchers and
consumers,

but by the few giant packers that control the market. This Amendment
will

prohibit packer ownership, feeding and control of livestock. It will

prohibit packers from taking over farm production. Packer ownership of

livestock distorts markets, reduces competition, and reduces the ability
of

family farmers and ranchers to access markets. The Johnson-Grassley

amendment will reduce market distortion, improve competition, and
improve

market access for family farmers and ranchers throughout the country.
This

is good for consumers, too. This bill will not prohibit contracting or

joint ventures. Packers cannot own, feed or control livestock in Iowa,

Minnesota, Nebraska or South Dakota. This bill will make those laws

national. Meat packers should stick to meat packing so family farmers
and

ranchers can raise the livestock and make rural communities stronger.


The Craig Amendment only proposes that the problem be studied still

further. The problem has been studied. What our nation needs is the

solution in the Johnson-Grassley amendment.


National Organizations

American Corn Growers Association

Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment

Center for Rural Affairs

Community Alliances of Interdependent AgriCulture

Defenders of Wildlife

Family Farm Defenders

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Institute for Rural America

Livestock Marketing Association

National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

National Catholic Rural Life Conference

National Family Farm Coalition

National Farmers Organization

National Farmers Union

North American Farm Alliance

Organization for Competitive Markets

R-CALF USA, Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of

America

Rural Advancement Foundation International

Rural Coalition/Coalción Rural

Sierra Club

Sisters of the Holy Cross Congregation Justice Committee

Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society

Women, Food and Agriculture Network


State and Regional Organizations

California Sustainable Agriculture Working Group

CASA del Llano  (Texas)

Center for Earth Spirituality and Rural Ministry  (Minnesota)

Citizens for Air, Resources and Environment  (Nebraska)

Community Alliance with Family Farmers  (California)

Dakota Resource Council  (North Dakota)

Dakota Rural Action  (South Dakota)

Earth Care  (Iowa)

Environmental Awareness Committee of the Southeast Iowa Synod of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

EQUAL (Enhanced Quality of Life)  (Nebraska)

Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Land Assistance Fund

Friends of the Russian River, Russian RiverKeeper Project  (California)

Georgia Poultry Justice Alliance

Housatonic River Initiative  (Massachusetts)

Idaho Rural Council

Illinois Stewardship Alliance

Independent Family Farm Coalition  (Kansas)

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement

Iowa Farmers Union

Kansas Cattlemen's Association

Kansas National Farmers Organization

Kansas Rural Center

Kentucky Environmental Foundation

Land Loss Prevention Project

Land Stewardship Project

Lower Neuse Riverkeeper, Neuse River Foundation  (North Carolina)

Maine Farms Project, Coastal Enterprises, Inc.

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Mid Nebraska Pride

Minnesota Catholic Conference

Minnesota Cattlemen's Association

Missouri Farmers Union

Missouri Rural Crisis Center

Nebraska Farmers Union

Nebraska Wildlife Federation

Nevada Livestock Association

New York Sustainable Agriculture Working Group

North Carolina Contract Poultry Growers Association

North Dakota Conference of Churches

North Dakota Progressive Coalition

Northeast Organic Farming Association--New York

Northern Plains Resource Council

North Star Neighbors  (Nebraska)

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

Oregon Rural Action

Potomac Riverkeeper

Promised Land Network  (Texas)

Riverkeeper for the White Oak Water Shed for the New River

Foundation  (North Carolina)

Rural Advancement Fund  (North Carolina)

Rural Resources Group  (New Mexico)

Rural Vermont

Soundkeeper  (Connecticut & New York)

South Dakota Farmers Union

South Dakota Stockgrowers Association

Southern Research and Development Corporation  (Louisiana)

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group

Western Colorado Congress

Western Organization of Resource Councils

Wyoming Stock Growers Association


Local Organizations

Badlands Area Resource Council--North Dakota

Cabinet Mountain Market--Montana

Catholic Rural Life Conference of the St. Martin Deanery--Georgetown,
Ohio

Center for New Community--Chicago, Illinois

Concerned Neighbor CoalitionClear Lake, Iowa

Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Director of Christian Service, Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan

Dunn County United Plainsmen--North Dakota

First Presbyterian Church, Belzoni, Mississippi

Homeworkers Organized for More Employment--Orland, Maine

Lansing Catholic Central High School--Michigan

Markham Center of Montpelier, Vermont

Marianist Environmental Education Center--Dayton, Ohio

McKensie County Energies and Taxation Association--North Dakota

McPherson County Farmers Union

Mount Vernon Concerned Citizens--Mount Vernon township, Cerro Gordo
County,Iowa

Office of Human Concerns, Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey

Office of Justice and Peace, Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon

Office of Justice and Peace, Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Virginia

Office of Peace and Justice, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lansing,
Michigan

Palo Alto County Pork Producers Association--Iowa

Parish Social Ministry Department, Catholic Charities of Louisville,
Kentucky

Prairieland Farmers Union Chapter--Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Rodman United Church of Christ--Rodman, New York

Rural Life Ministry, Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Rural Life Office of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis,
Minnesota

Salina Diocese Catholic Rural Life--Salina, Kansas

Sin Fronteras Organizing Project--El Paso, Texas

Siouxland Farmers Union Chapter--Sioux County, Iowa

Social Action Office, Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Social Justice Team of the Presentation Sisters of Aberdeen, South
Dakota

Solidarity Committee of the Capital District--Albany, New York

Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville, Kentucky

Waterkeeper Alliance--White Plains, New York


For more information call (202) 543-5675, (202) 547-5754 or (845)
744-8448.

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