Action Alert January, 21st 2005

In this Alert:
--GE Seed Sales Report is Misleading!
--Take Action on the Farmer Protection Act!
--Update and Alert on Ag Water Quality/Medium Farm Rules

GE SEED SALES REPORT IS MISLEADING!
This week Secretary of Agriculture Steve Kerr presented the GE Seed Sales report. According to his data, GE corn sales for 2004 were approximately 19% of the total corn sold in Vermont. This is a slight increase since 2003, which saw GE seed sales at 16% of total corn sales. The misleading part of the report (and probably what you read in the paper) was that in Kerr's report this week, he indicated that in 2002, sales of GE seed were only 8% of total seed sales, but in 2002, he reported that GE Seed Sales were 22% of the total seed sold. Rural Vermont had the old reports, and provided copies to the reporters who covered the story. We also sent out a press release, which you can view at www.ruralvermont.org (click on NEWS). Both the Times Argus and the Burlington Free Press are working on stories, but they may not appear til next week, as they are having difficulty contacting the Agency of Agriculture. John Dillon was also working on a story for VPR.

TAKE ACTION ON THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT!
THANK YOU to those of you who have been calling your senators and representatives about signing onto the Farmer Protecton Act! Because of your calls, 17 senators have signed on -- that means we have enough to pass it already in the Senate before there are even any hearings on the bill (there are 30 total senators)! The bill has been introduced in the senate, and is S.18. You can view the actual bill here: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2006/bills/intro/S-018.HTM.

Here are the Senators who have sponsored the bill so far:
Senator Campbell of Windsor District, Senator Illuzzi of Essex-Orleans District, Senator Ayer of Addison District, Senator Bartlett of Lamoille District, Senator Cummings of Washington District, Senator Dunne of Windsor District, Senator Flanagan of Chittenden District, Senator Gander of Windham District, Senator Giard of Addison District, Senator Kittell of Franklin District, Senator Leddy of Chittenden District, Senator Lyons of Chittenden District, Senator MacDonald of Orange District, Senator Miller of Chittenden District, Senator Sears of Bennington District, Senator Starr of Essex-Orleans District and Senator White of Windham District

ACTION #1 - GET YOUR LEGISLATORS TO SIGN ONTO THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT!
If your senator is not on the list, please contact them and ask them to sign on by talking to Senator Illuzi or Senator Campbell. You can find out who your senator is here: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/districts.cfm?Body=S
Contact them by email, or leave a message with the Sargeant at Arms Tuesday through Friday by calling 828-2228. Be sure to include your name and phone number in your message, and say, "Please sign onto S.18, the Farmer Protection Act".

On the House Side, only a very few Reps have signed on. CONTACT YOUR REPS THIS WEEK to ask them to SIGN ONTO THE FARMER PROTECTON ACT. This bill does not have a # yet on the House side. Tell your Reps it has been introduced in the Senate, and they can see the language by looking at S.18. The house bill is identical. You can find your Representatives' contact info here: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/districts.cfm?Body=H. Tell them they can sign on by talking to Dave Zuckerman. DO NOT CALL DAVE ZUCKERMAN. He is the lead sponsor of the bill. You can also call and leave a message for your Reps Tuesday through Friday at 828-2228.

ACTION #2 - COME OUT FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE!
VPIRG will be releasing a new report, "The GMO Threat to Vermont’s Organic Future" on Thursday at 2 pm at the statehouse. We need about 1 dozen people in red for the press conference. If you live close by and can make it, please do. It will be about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes total. Let us know if you're coming by emailing amy@ruralvermont.org or calling the Rural Vermont office at 802-223-7222.

Details:
Vermont State House Cedar Creek Room
(2nd floor, the room with the big painting)
Thursday, January 27
2:00 PM
Wear Red
If you're coming, call your House Representative ahead of time and tell them, and ask them to be at the press conference, too! You can leave a message for your Rep Tuesday-Friday at 828-2228. Be sure to say you need a call back and leave your name and telephone number. Then, when they call you back, tell them about the press conference, and ask them to attend. Tell them you'll be there, and you hope to see them, too!

Report Summary: Over the past ten years, soaring consumer demand for organic food has propelled a vibrant, rapidly expanding organic sector of Vermont’s farm economy. At the same time, present and future use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) across the planet poses a serious challenge to the survival of Vermont’s thriving organic farm community. GMO contamination of organically grown corn through windborne cross pollination has already been found in Vermont. Passing laws that establish strict liability for harm caused by GMOs to organic and non-GMO conventional farmers is an essential first step to protecting Vermont’s premiere growth industry. Most importantly, a moratorium on the planting of all GMO crops is essential to allow policy makers time to fully consider the ecological, economic and human health impacts of GMOs. The report, authored by VPIRG, examines growth trends in Vermont’s organic sector, growing national and international markets for organic produce, and recommends policy options and strategic investments by the State of Vermont to further strengthen organic farming.

ACTION #3 - MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR CITIZEN ACTION DAY!
Many of you might remember that last year's Citizen Action Day was the day that the folks working for a Time Out on GMOs first wore red to signify their support for the moratorium. It was a powerful day for us, and we are going to do it again. Mark your calendar for February 15, 2005. More details will follow, but plan to spend most of the day in Montpelier. Carpools will be coming from Middlebury, St. Johnsbury, Brattleboro, and St. Albans, so you don't even need to drive all the way. Please WEAR RED for a Time Out on GMOs!

Citizen Action Day is an opportunity for you to observe Vermont's political process up-close and personal, to stand up for the environmental values you care about, and to make a difference in your state and community. Let your voice be heard while encouraging your hardworking Legislators to support the 2005 Conservation and Environmental Legislative Platform put forth by Vermont's environmental community. The Platform outlines the most important environmental priorities for the 2005 legislature, including protecting Vermont's traditional character, maintaining a healthy environment, and building a responsible energy future. It includes a Time Out on GMOs and the Farmer Protection Act! Citizen Action Day will kick off at 11 am at Christ Church (64 State Street), followed by a march to the State House at noon. More information and a complete schedule of events will be posted next week.

UPDATE ON THE AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY/MEDIUM FARM RULES
Today (Friday), the Secretary of Agriculture presented his Draft of the Medium Farm Rule to a joint hearing of the House and Senate Agriculture Committee. This has started a 30-day clock ticking for these two committees to review the draft and recommend approval of it. If it is approved, a formal rulemaking process will start, and official comments can be submitted. Although technically, the Agency of Agriculture is following the process that was outlined last year, practically, this process is neither open nor participatory. The Agency has agreed to host meetings with several advocacy groups to discuss the issues involved with writing the Medium Farm Rule and rewriting the Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAPs), but the Agency has already prepared their drafts, and is not really doing anything with the input they are receiving at this point.

Secretary Kerr reported today that the Agency would be holding public meetings around the state to present the draft rules in the next several weeks, but he did not share the schedule of those meetings yet. We'll keep you posted, and we hope you will go to those meetings, and let the agency know what your thoughts are on the draft rules. The draft rules are posted on the Agency website at http://www.vermontagriculture.com/MFO_Rules.htm. If you comment now, your comments will not be official, so we are suggesting you hold off until the official comment period, but start reading the draft (which is quite technical) and figuring out what your comments are. We will have sample comments when the official rulemaking opens.

Meanwhile, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
CONTACT the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and tell them you are concerned about this process, and you want in depth hearings on this draft rule. Ask them to carefully consider the consequences of these rules, and to seek farmer input - not just medium farmers, but smaller farms as well, and not just animal farms, but also vegetable farms. Tell them to MAKE SURE farmers are protected -- if the rules do not ensure compliance with federal regulations, farmers can be at risk for federal lawsuits. So far, the committee members seem to really want to do the right thing. Give them some encouragement, and tell them what you need.

Contact the Ag Committee members by email.
**DO NOT SIMPLY FORWARD THIS EMAIL.**
Write a note with your concerns, and include your name and phone number at the bottom.

HOUSE:
Dave Zuckerman: dzuckerman@leg.state.vt.us
Mitzi Johnson: mjohnson@leg.state.vt.us
Phil Bartlett: pbartlett@leg.state.vt.us
Bill Botzow:botzow@sover.net
Sarah Copeland Hanzas:SCopelandHanzas@leg.state.vt.us
Brian Dunsmore: bdunsmore@leg.state.vt.us
Richard Lawrence:RLawrence@leg.state.vt.us
John Malcom: JMalcolm@leg.state.vt.us
Scott Orr: scottorrforhouse@yahoo.com
Harvey Smith: hsmith@leg.state.vt.us
Bill Johnson does not have email.

SENATE:
Sara Kittell: skittell@leg.state.vt.us
Jeanette White: jwhite@leg.state.vt.us
Wendy Wilton: WWilton@leg.state.vt.us
Bobby Starr and Harold Giard do not have email.

Also, if you have a farm that is located near a Medium Farm (200-699 milkers) or is a Medium Farm, please let us know by emailing amy@ruralvermont.org

If you have any questions about this email or want to unsubscribe from the Farm Policy Network Activist List, please contact amy@ruralvermont.org
Amy Shollenberger
Policy Director, Rural Vermont