Action Alert February 18th, 2005

--Farmer Protection Act introduced in the House with 54 cosponsors!
--TAKE ACTION to keep our bill moving!!!
--Upcoming Events!
--Town Meeting Day Resolutions

FARMER PROTECTON ACT introduced in the House!
Dexter Randall (P-Troy) introduced the Farmer Protection Act today in the House of Representatives. The bill has been assigned the number H.309, and the language is identical to S.18. BECAUSE OF YOUR GREAT WORK, 54 Representatives have signed onto the bill! This includes 40 Democrats, 9 Republicans, 1 Independent, and 4 Progressives. MANY REPRESENTATIVES SAID THEY WERE SIGNING ON BECAUSE OF YOUR PHONE CALLS. This is a really great start for our bill in the House, and it shows that it is NOT a partisan issue. WE NEED YOU to KEEP UP the work, so that we can get to the magic number of 76 representatives saying that they will definitely vote YES when this bill hits the House floor for a vote. We also need to make sure our Senators are feeling supported. It is very important to say THANK YOU to our supporters! They will need to know you are behind them!

HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

ACTION: CARD SHOWER FOR LEGISLATORS
This weekend, take the time to write a note to your legislators. Write to all of your Senators and House Representatives. If they are already signed onto the bills, say THANK YOU and encourage them to do whatever they can to garner support from their colleagues on this legislation. If they are not already on the list below, ask them to please VOTE YES on S.18 (for senators) when it comes to the senate floor for a vote, or SUPPORT H.309 (for house reps). Be sure to include your name, town, and phone number in the card, and put your return address on the envelope.

Address all of the cards to
Representative/Senator ____________
Vermont Statehouse
Montpelier, VT 05633

You can find out who your House Representatives are here: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/districts.cfm?Body=H
You can find out who your Senators are here: < href="http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/districts.cfm?Body=S">http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/districts.cfm?Body=S

Here is the list of House Representatives who signed onto the bill:
Adams, Ancel, Barnard, Bohi, Botzow, Brooks, Chen, Clarkson, Darrow, Deen, Dowland, Edwards, Emmons, Fallar, French, Gervais, Haas, Heath, Howard, Hutchinson, Mitzi Johnson, Kilmartin, Kiss, Kitzmiller, Klein, Larson, Leriche, Louras, Maier, Marcotte, Marek, Marron, Clint Martin, Linda Martin, Masland, McCullough, McLaughlin, Milkey, Alice Miller, Minter, Morley, Nitka, Nuovo, Obuchowsi, O'Donnell, Orr, Pellett, Pillsbury, Randall, Sharpe, Shaw, Shap Smith, Sweaney, Zuckerman

Here is the list of Senators who have signed onto the bill: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

UPCOMING EVENTS:

PUBLIC FORUM WITH BRIAN TOKAR AND BILL McKIBBEN!
Thursday Feb. 24
7pm
Public Forum "Industrial Food - Local Alternatives" with Bill McKibben,
author and Brian Tokar from the ISE Biotechnology Project
Riley Center for the Arts in Manchester, VT (located off Rte. 7A on
Seminary Rd. in historic Manchester).

BREAD AND ROSES, A Readers Theater Play
By Lea Wood of Central Vermont Women's International League for Peace & Freedom,in celebration for International Women's Day
Tuesday, March 8, 6:30 pm at Langdon Street Cafe
Wednesday, March 9, 7 pm at the Kellogg Hubbard Library Hayes Room at 6:00pm
The play is about 40 minutes long.

TOWN MEETING DAY RESOLUTIONS
are on the agendas for the following towns: Barnett, Northfield, Shrewsbury, Waterville, Springfield, and Manchester
If you live in these towns, get out and vote for a GE Free Vermont!

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