Action Alert February 5th, 2005
--GMO update - Farmer Protection Act hearings in Vermont and Montana - bills on the move!
--TAKE ACTION this weekend to keep the bill moving! WE NEED YOU TO CALL YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES!
--Upcoming Events in Your Hometown!
GMO Update:
Today in the Vermont statehouse, Joe Mendelson, legal director for the Center for Food Safety testified in support of the Farmer Protection Act (s.18). Joe is the co-author of the report Monsanto vs. Farmers, which outlines the issues around liability and patent infringement and documents all of the cases in the U.S. on these issues.
The report can be found at http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/Monsantovsusfarmersreport.cfm Joe is also one of the lead drafters of our bill, and he was able to answer some tough questions posed by legislators and to show them why our bill is so strong! In the morning, Joe testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee and in the afternoon, he testified to the House Agriculture and Judiciary Committees. THANK YOU to everyone who turned out for this afternoon's hearing. About 40 folks in red sat in on the joint hearing in Room 11, to let the 22 legislators on the two committees know we want this bill passed!
We hope to have a transcription of the afternoon hearing posted to the Rural Vermont website by the end of next week.
Meanwhile, late in the afternoon, we got word from Montana that the hearing they had on the Farmer Protection Act also went well. Their hearings are public hearings, and 26 farmers turned out to testify in support of their bill, while only 2 people came to speak against it. In order to show our solidarity, all of the Montana folks wore a small wheat pin with a RED ribbon!
More hearings will be held in both states next week - we'll keep you posted! Meanwhile, WE NEED YOU TO TAKE ACTON TO KEEP OUR BILL MOVING!!! Here's what you can do THIS WEEKEND to help!
ACTION #1:
Call YOUR House Representatives AT HOME on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday and tell them to sign onto the Farmer Protection Act. Below is a list of Representatives who NEED YOUR CALL. When you call, BE ENCOURAGING! Many of these Representatives will support the bill, they just need a little nudge.
Tell them you want them to sign onto the bill on Tuesday, and that it will probably be introduced in the middle of next week. WE NEED AS MANY REPS AS POSSIBLE SIGNED ONTO THIS BILL WHEN WE INTRODUCE IT. YOUR CALL WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
If your Representative says s/he will sign on, please send an email to amy@ruralvermont.org so we can track them down and get their signature. You can also email Amy if your Rep says they want more information. Every Representative received a packet of info, including the language of the bill, on Wednesday.
If your Representative is NOT on the list, they are ALREADY SUPPORTING the bill, so you don't need to call.
Here are some talking points:
--The Farmer Protection Act protects ALL Vermont farmers - it does not discriminate between GE and nonGE farmers.
--The Farmer Protection Act does not judge the technology. If the technology is all the companies say it is, they should be glad to stand behind it. If the technology causes real problems, farmers should not bear the burden of paying for the damages.
--Contamination has been found in Vermont, and we need to act now before it's too late!
You can find more information and a copy of the bill on this website. Click on Issues, then GMO Campaign.
Here's the list of Representatives who NEED YOUR CALL:
ADDISON-1
Maier, Steven , Middlebury, VT 05753
388-7669
ADDISON-2
Jewett, Willem , Ripton, VT 05766
388-0320
ADDISON-3
Clark, Gregory S. , Vergennes, VT 05491
877-2531
Houston, Connie T. , Vergennes, VT 05491
475-2359
ADDISON-4
Fisher, Michael , Lincoln, VT 05443
453-5517
Sharpe, David , Bristol, VT 05443
453-2754
ADDISON-5
Smith, Harvey T. , New Haven, VT 05472
877-2712
ADDISON-RUTLAND-1
Young, Mark S. , Orwell, VT 05760-0038
948-2813
BENNINGTON-2-1
Corcoran, Timothy R. , Bennington, VT 05201
447-0929
Krawczyk, Joseph L. , Bennington, VT 05201
442-8613
BENNINGTON-2-2
Mook, Anne H. , Bennington, VT 05201
442-5028
Morrissey, Mary A. , Bennington, VT 05201
442-2092
BENNINGTON-3
Miller, Alice , Shaftsbury, VT 05262
442-9825
BENNINGTON-4
Livingston, Judith , Manchester, VT 05254
362-1949
BENNINGTON-5
Molloy, Lawrence E. , Arlington, VT 05250
375-2300
BENNINGTON-RUTLAND-1
Komline, Patti , Dorset, VT 05251
867-4232
CALEDONIA-1
Larocque, Leigh , St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
748-3481
CALEDONIA-2
Leriche, Lucy, Hardwick, VT 05843
472-5738
CALEDONIA-3
Bostic, Donald E. , St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
748-5288
Clark, David T. , St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
748-3208
CALEDONIA-4
Hudson, Cola H. , Lyndonville, VT 05851
626-9428
Lawrence, Richard , Lyndonville, VT 05851
626-5917
CALEDONIA-WASHINGTON-1
Larrabee, Steve , West Danville, VT 05873
684-2247
CHITTENDEN-1-2
Orr, Scott A. , Charlotte, VT 05445
425-2257
CHITTENDEN-2
Peterson, Mary N. , Williston, VT 05495
878-8241
CHITTENDEN-3-1
Aswad, William N. , Burlington, VT 05401
862-2067
Wright, Kurt , Burlington, VT 05401
658-1410
CHITTENDEN-3-3
Lorber, Jason , Burlington, VT 05401
863-9429
Tracy, John Patrick , Burlington, VT 05401
863-4135
CHITTENDEN-3-5
Donovan, Johannah Leddy , Burlington, VT 05401
863-4634
Keogh, Bill , Burlington, VT 05401
862-5270
CHITTENDEN-3-6
Atkins, Kenneth W. , Winooski, VT 05404
655-1280
Cross, George C. , Winooski, VT 05404
655-4611
CHITTENDEN-3-7
Kupersmith, Michele , South Burlington, VT 05403
863-1814
CHITTENDEN-3-8
Pugh, Ann D. , South Burlington, VT 05403
863-6705
CHITTENDEN-3-9
Audette, Albert "Sonny" C. , South Burlington, VT 05403
862-4236
CHITTENDEN-3-10
Head, Helen , So. Burlington, VT 05403
862-2267
CHITTENDEN-4
Barnard, Denise B. , Jonesville, VT 05466
434-4248
CHITTENDEN-5-1
Errecart, Joyce , Shelburne, VT 05482
985-2329
CHITTENDEN-5-2
Schiavone, George , Shelburne, VT 05482
985-2886
CHITTENDEN-6-1
Evans, Debbie , Essex Jct., VT 05452
878-4317
Myers, Linda K. , Essex Junction, VT 05452
878-3514
CHITTENDEN-6-2
Hunt, Peter D. , Essex Jct., VT 05452
878-8406
Jerman, Tim , Essex Jct., VT 05452
878-2972
CHITTENDEN-7-1
Condon, Jim , Colchester, VT 05446
655-5764
Severance, Malcolm F. , Colchester, VT 05446
878-2067
CHITTENDEN-7-2
Brennan, Patrick M. , Colchester, VT 05446
863-3773
Niquette, Kathrine R. , Colchester, VT 05446
865-2180
CHITTENDEN-8
Frank, William R. , Underhill, VT 05489
899-3136
CHITTENDEN-9
Endres, Kevin J. , Milton, VT 05468
893-0765
Metzger, Doran , Milton, VT 05468
893-1645
ESSEX-CALEDONIA
Peaslee, Janice L. , Guildhall, VT 05905
328-4452
ESSEX-CALEDONIA-ORLEANS
Johnson, William F. , Canaan, VT 05903
277-8329
FRANKLIN-1
Branagan, Carolyn Whitney , Georgia, VT 05478
527-7694
Dunsmore, Brian C. , St. Albans, VT 05478
524-3235
FRANKLIN-2
Allard, George R. , St. Albans, VT 05478
527-7105
Howrigan, Richard J. , Fairfield, VT 05455-0016
827-6513
FRANKLIN-3
Keenan, Kathleen C. , St. Albans, VT 05478
524-5013
Parent, Alan , St. Albans, VT 05478
524-9069
FRANKLIN-5
LaVoie, Kathy LaBelle , Swanton, VT 05488
868-4807
Winters, John S. , Swanton, VT 05488
868-7117
FRANKLIN-6
McAllister, Norman H. , Franklin, VT 05457
285-6363
Perry, Albert J. , Richford, VT 05476
848-7618
LAMOILLE-2
Martin, Linda J. , Wolcott, VT 05680
888-5654
LAMOILLE-4
Westman, Richard A. , Cambridge, VT 05444
644-2297
LAMOILLE-WASHINGTON-1
Miller, Warren , Lake Elmore, VT 05657
888-2296
Smith, Shap , Morrisville, VT 05661
888-9214
ORANGE-1
Kennedy, Sylvia R. , Chelsea, VT 05038
685-7770
Winters, Philip C. , Williamstown, VT 05679-9727
433-5590
ORANGE-2
Copeland-Hanzas, Sarah , Bradford, VT 05033
222-4064
ORANGE-ADDISON-1
French, Patsy , Randolph, VT 05060
728-9421
ORANGE-CALEDONIA-1
Otterman, Harvey B. , West Topsham, VT 05086
439-5924
ORLEANS-1
Dowland, Winston E. , Derby Line, VT 05830
895-4680
Shaw, Loren T. , Derby, VT 05829
766-5022
ORLEANS-2
Marcotte, Michael J. , Newport, VT 05855
334-6302
ORLEANS-CALEDONIA-1
Morley, John , Orleans, VT 05860
754-8450
Rodgers, John S. , Glover, VT 05839
525-4182
RUTLAND-1-1
Donaghy, Andrew P. , Poultney, VT 05764
287-9693
RUTLAND-1-2
Baker, Joseph , West Rutland, VT 05777
438-9819
Potter, Dave , Clarendon, VT 05759
438-5385
RUTLAND-2
Canfield, William , Fair Haven, VT 05743
265-4428
Helm, Robert , Fair Haven, VT 05743
265-2145
RUTLAND-3
Fallar, Gail , Tinmouth, VT 05773
446-2870
RUTLAND-4
Sunderland, David A. , Rutland Town, VT 05701
775-6229
RUTLAND-5-1
Louras, Christopher C. , Rutland, VT 05701
773-5780
RUTLAND-5-2
DePoy, Thomas S. , Rutland, VT 05701
773-5466
RUTLAND-5-3
Howard, Steven J. , Rutland, VT 05701
773-1226
RUTLAND-5-4
Allaire, David W. , Rutland, VT 05701
775-2162
RUTLAND-6
Flory, Margaret , Pittsford, VT 05763
483-6854
RUTLAND-7
Wood, Robert H. , Brandon, VT 05733
247-6267
RUTLAND-8
Malcolm, John W. , Pawlet, VT 05761
325-3424
RUTLAND-WINDSOR-1
Chen, Harry L. , Mendon, VT 05701
775-1695
WASHINGTON-1
Hosford, Carol , Waitsfield, VT 05673
496-4546
WASHINGTON-2
Donahue, Anne B. , Northfield, VT 05663
485-6431
Grad, Maxine Jo , Moretown, VT 05660
496-7667
WASHINGTON-3-1
Valliere, Leo M. , Barre, VT 05641
476-3891
WASHINGTON-3-2
Monti, Harry S. , Barre, VT 05641
476-6367
WASHINGTON-3-3
Green, Stephen , Berlin, VT 05602
223-6670
WASHINGTON-4
Koch, Thomas F. , Barre, VT 05641
479-2688
McFaun, Francis M. , Barre, VT 05641
479-9843
WASHINGTON-5
Kitzmiller, Warren F. , Montpelier, VT 05602
229-0878
WASHINGTON-6
Ancel, Janet , Calais, VT 05648
223-5350
WASHINGTON-7
Klein, Tony , Montpelier, VT 05602
224-9097
WASHINGTON-CHITTENDEN-1
Dostis, Robert , Waterbury Center, VT 05677
244-8734
Minter, Sue , Waterbury Ctr., VT 05677
244-6229
WINDHAM-1
O'Donnell, Pat , Vernon, VT 05354
257-1149
WINDHAM-2
Rusten, Robert , Brattleboro, VT 05301
368-7490
WINDHAM-BENNINGTON-1
Bartlett, Philip E. , East Dover, VT 05341
348-6691
WINDHAM-BENNINGTON-WINDSOR-1
Hube, Richard W. , South Londonderry, VT 05155
824-5052
WINDSOR-1-2
Emmons, Alice M. , Springfield, VT 05156
885-5893
WINDSOR-2
Shand, Ernest , Windsor, VT 05089-9065
674-5021
WINDSOR-3
Sweaney, Donna G. , Windsor, VT 05089
674-5175
WINDSOR-4
Adams, Steven C. , Hartland, VT 05048
436-2678
WINDSOR-6-1
Reese, Michael S. , South Pomfret, VT 05067
457-4575
WINDSOR-6-2
Bohi, Lynn L. , White River Junction, VT 05001
295-5596
Kainen, Michael R. , White River Junction, VT 05001
296-2100
Seibert, Ann , Norwich, VT 05055
649-1282
WINDSOR-RUTLAND-1
Nitka, Alice W. , Ludlow, VT 05149
228-8432
ACTION #2:
Write a LETTER TO THE EDITOR! Write a letter about why you support the Farmer Protection Act and publicly encourage your Representatives to sign on (or THANK THEM if they already have!). Your letter does not have to be long! If it gets published, cut it out, make a note of the newspaper and date, and mail it in to Rural Vermont, 15 Barre Street, Ste 2, Montpelier, VT 05602 for our clips notebook!
ACTION #3 - COME TO THESE UPCOMING EVENTS!
CITIZEN ACTION DAY 2005
February 15, 2005
11 am - 2 pm
Meet at Christ Church at 11 am - March to Statehouse at 12:15 pm.
Get all the details and download a flyer of of this website. Click on Get involved and then scroll down to How to get involved.
FILM SCREENING!!!
Friday Feb. 11
7:30 pm
Screening of The Future of Food followed by Q&A with Amy and Linda from
Rural Vermont.
Shrewsbury Town Hall - Shrewsbury Center, VT
Tuesday Feb. 15
7pm
Screening of The Future of Food
Springfield Library - Springfield, VT
Thursday Feb. 17
Time TBA
Screening of The Future of Food followed by Q&A with Linda Setchell from
Rural Vermont
Vergenes Union High School Library - Vergenes, VT
PUBLIC FORUM WITH BRIAN TOKAR AND BILL McKIBBON!
Thursday Feb. 24
7pm
Public Forum "Industrial Food - Local Alternatives" with Bill McKibbon,
author and Brian Tokar from the ISE Biotechnology Project
Riley Center for the Arts in Manchester, VT (located off Rte. 7 on
Seminary Rd. in historic Manchester).
more info on this wegsite - Calendar of Events!
Amy Shollenberger
Policy Director, Rural Vermont