TO DO: Food Security
Source: Just Food

http://justfood.org/

FARM BILL ACTION ALERT:
Help get 3 GMO Amendments into the Senate Farm Bill

This week the Senate is debating the Farm Bill, and there  are three Amendments being introduced and debated that would advance our rights to know what's in our food. 

1. Senate Amendment SA 978 (introduced by Senator Merkley, D-Oregon) would repeal the Monsanto Protection Act, which is currently a 6-month 'rider' provision that slipped into the Continuing Resolution spending bill passed in March. The Monstanto Protection Act strips federal courts of the authority to halt sale or planting of GMO seed by Monsanto and other companies that have not been adequately reviewed for their environmental and economic impacts. This Amendment would strike that 6-month provision.
2. SA 1025 (Senator Boxer, D-California) is a "Sense of the Senate" statement that states that the US should join with 64 other nations that give their consumers the right to know if there are GMO ingredients in their food. It is a non-binding statement only.
3. SA 1026 (Senator Boxer, D-California) would call for the FDA to submit a report to Congress on the methods of labeling GMO food in nations that require such labeling, and the probable impacts of having differing State labeling laws in the absence of a Federal labeling standard with respect to GMO food.

Take a couple minutes to call NY Senators, it's quick and easy! You can say: 

• "My name is _______ and I am a constituent. 
• I know the Senate is currently legislating the next Farm Bill, and I'm calling to urge the Senator to vote in support of three Amendments related to genetically modified food: 
• The Amendments are SA 978 introduced by Senator Merkley that would repeal the Monstanto Protection Act, SA 1025 introduced by Senator Boxer that calls for a Sense of the Senate statement in support for GMO labeling, and SA 1026 also introduced by Senator Boxer which would require a report by the FDA to Congress on GMO food. 
• We have the right to know what's in our food. Thank you."

NY Senator Chuck Schumer
(202) 224-6542

NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
(202) 224-4451

Thank you for taking action! Stay tuned to this pash for updates on this and other key Amendments! Last updated 5/23/2013.

May 2013 ACTION ALERT:
TIME TO FIGHT FOR A FAIR FOOD & FARM BILL 

Hunger, food-related illness, environmental degradation, corporate control of our food and farm systems… All of these challenges are linked to the federal Farm Bill. And yet Congress has let opportunity after opportunity slip by to pass a fair Farm Bill and address these injustices.

Last year, Congress was scheduled to pass a new Farm Bill. Instead they passed a 9-month extension that hurts farmers and consumers alike, which will expire on September 30. To replace the extension, Senate and House Agriculture Committees will soon begin to pass their versions of the new Farm Bill, likely starting the week of May 6th in the Senate and a week later in the House.

This is our opportunity to tell Congress to take our food and farm system seriously and pass a just, fair Farm Bill!

Call your representatives TODAY and tell them to sign-on as co-sponsors to the following important “marker bills” that, with enough support, would be part of the next Farm Bill:

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2013 (S.837 and H.R.1727), introduced in the Senate and House, is a bill that enables access to land, credit, training and crop insurance for new producers, and ensures success for the next generation of farmers.

Local Farms, Food & Jobs Act of 2013 (S.679 and H.R.1414), introduced in the Senate and House, is a bill that expands opportunities for local and regional food production and increases access to fresh, healthy foods. That means more fresh food at farmers’ markets, in schools, and at the grocery.

GO FARM Act of 2013 (Growing Opportunities for Agriculture and Responding to Markets) (S.678), introduced only in the Senate thus far, is a bill that would establish a loan fund program to support local farms and market garden businesses, thereby creating jobs and helping to get healthy, local food from rural farms to urban tables.

AND in addition to the above 'marker bills', a resolution referred to as H. Res. 90 has been introduced in the House and opposes cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Help make sure Congress steps up with support. Call your legislators and ask them to co-sponsor these marker bills today! Taking this important action takes just minutes!

Action Step 1: Find your Congressional legislators

NY Senate: Senator Chuck Schumer (202-224-6542) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (202-224-4451)
Representatives: Go to www.house.gov/representatives/find/ to look up your Representative and find their Washington, DC office phone number

Action Step 2: Below are the current co-sponsors from New York for each bill. If your legislator is on the list, call and thank them for co-sponsoring! If they aren't, call and urge them to do so! 

Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act:Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY-20)

Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act:
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-17)

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10)

Rep. William Owens (D-NY-21)

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20)


Go FARM (this is a Senate bill thus far, not in the House):
Contact Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand and ask them to co-sponsor

H. Res. 90 (this is a House resolution, not in the Senate):Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Dan Maffei (D-NY)
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
Grace Meng (D-NY)
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Paul Tonko (D-NY)

Action Step 3: Let us know how your calls went! Emailnycfoodandfarmbill@gmail.com to share your experience.