– May 9, 2013 –

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate’s and the U.S. House of Representatives’ Agriculture Committees are expected to mark-up their respective versions of the U.S. Farm Bill very soon – beginning May 14 and 15! EAD advocates are strongly encouraged to contact their Representative and Senators to continue advocacy efforts and relationship building that began during EAD’s 2013 Lobby Day on April 8th.  EAD Director Doug Grace notes, “Even if your Senators or Representative do not serve on the Agriculture Committees, their support and encouragement are strongly needed for a positive Farm Bill outcome coming out of Committee.”

Call your Senators and Representative the week of May 13th at 1-800-826-3688. 

Ask to speak with the legislative aide that works on the Farm Bill. 
Tell them that:

“Congress should enact a farm bill this year that alleviates hunger and malnutrition, supports vibrant farms and healthy communities, and protects God’s creation.”

Please continue to make use of EAD 2013 Lobby Day resources in your call,  including the official Congressional Ask and the talking points, as well as other resources from our 2013 Lobby Day.

Our nation’s food and farm policies, as embodied in the farm bill, affect people from rural America to inner cities, from our local communities to less industrialized regions around the world. The farm bill is the single largest piece of federal policy impacting our food system. A good farm bill can strengthen nutrition programs such as SNAP, help our struggling rural communities, support new and socially disadvantaged farmers, enhance global food aid to the world’s most impoverished, and encourage farming and ranching practices that protect God’s creation. Congress failed to pass a farm bill in 2012, and a number of important programs that promote a just and healthy food system are currently without funding. Other programs are continuing, but need the certainty provided by a multi-year farm bill.

The Senate farm bill will likely look very similar to last year’s stalled bill with roughly $23 billion in proposed cuts. About $4 billion will come from nutrition programs and roughly another $6 billion from conservation programs. The rest of the major savings will come from changes to commodity and crop insurance programs.

The House bill is expected to cut deeper than last year, aiming for $38 billion in total cuts over ten years. $20 billion of those cuts will come from the nutrition title but it is unclear how the remaining $18 billion will be divided amongst the rest of the titles.

“EAD’s advocacy is needed to protect vital Farm Bill programs that alleviates hunger and malnutrition, supports vibrant farms and healthy communities, and protects God’s creation,” Grace said.