Action Alert 2/4/8

--HEMP Vote on Thursday!
--Farm Fresh Meat bill introduced!
--Upcoming Rural Vermont Events
--Other Upcoming Events

***HEMP VOTE ON THURSDAY IN THE HOUSE!***
This past week, on Wednesday, January 30th, Vermont's House Agriculture Committee voted 11-0 to support the Hemp for Vermont bill! The committee worked hard to craft a bill that allowed farmers to grow hemp in our state while addressing some of the concerns raised by those opposing the bill. You can view the bill as passed by the House Agriculture Committee here: http://www.ruralvermont.org/hemp.html - You can also find more information about Hemp for Vermont on this page.

The bill will make a brief detour to the House Judiciary Committe on Tuesday, but no delay is expected. The House meets at 1:00 pm on Thursday. Hemp is not likely to be the first vote, but is expected to get voted on that day. Stay tuned for updates! Meanwhile, YOUR CALLS ARE WORKING!! House Representatives are overwhelmingly saying they will support the bill, and many report that their support is a direct result of the phone calls they have received. If you have not yet called your House Representative, call on Tuesday or Wednesday at the statehouse: 802-828-2228, and ask them to support H.267 - the Hemp for Vermont bill.

This week, please consider MAKING A DONATION to Rural Vermont's Hemp for Vermont Campaign. We need your help to keep the bill moving! Your contribution will go directly to our campaign and will help us get this bill on the Governor's desk by Town Meeting Day. You can send a check (mark it HEMP) to Rural Vermont, 15 Barre Street, Ste. 2, Montpelier, VT 05602, or call 802-223-7222 to use your MasterCard or Visa. If you are one of the first 10 people to contribute $100, you will receive our limited edition Rural Vermont hemp-canvas tote bag, donated by Hemp Power Bag Company of Vermont (http://hemppowerbag.com/). We need your support to keep our campaign going!

***FARM FRESH MEAT BILL INTRODUCED!***
This week, Representative Janet Ancel introduced the Farm Fresh Meat bill, H.749. This bill will attempt to allow on-farm slaughter and custom processing of red meat for CSAs in Vermont. You can view the bill here:
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/bills/intro/H-749.HTM . The bill has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee, and it might be a little while before anything happens with it. We'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, please WRITE A THANK YOU NOTE to Representative Janet Ancel, who has taken the lead on this important issue. Tell her why the bill is important to you. DO NOT EMAIL this note - make it a nice, hand-written note and send it to her at the statehouse:
Rep. Janet Ancel
Vermont Statehouse
115 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05633

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RURAL VERMONT EVENTS
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** Hemp and the Rule of Law **
If you missed this informative documentary during Rural Vermont's Hemp Week, then come out on 2/21 to check it out! Join us for free snacks and a lively discussion about agricultural hemp after a short documentary relaying the US's past involvement with hemp as a major agricultural crop and the current controversy surrounding farmers and state rights to return it as such. For a detailed film description and reviews, visit http://www.tinroofvideo.com/
WHEN: Thursday, February 21st, 6 - 8 pm
WHERE: UVM Billings Auditorium (CC Theatre)
$3 suggested donation (no one will be turned away for lack of funds)
For directions and more information, please call (802) 223-7222 or
visit www.ruralvermont.org

***NOFA-VT Conference-Goers: Help out Rural Vermont!***
If you are planning to attend the NOFA-VT conference on February 16th and 17th in Randolph, we need you! We'll have an action table set up during lunch on both days. Lunch happens in 2 one-hour shifts. Please help us staff this table for one hour on one or both days! Email colin@ruralvermont.org to arrange when you can help; this is a busy table, so we are looking for lots of tablers.

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OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
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**VTCECH will hold the 12th annual Hunger Awareness Day at the Vermont Statehouse on Thursday, February 7th, 2008. Hunger Awareness Day is an opportunity to remind our elected officials about the continuing problem of hunger in our communities. Likewise, citizens have the opportunity to thank their state legislators for their continuing support of anti-hunger initiatives. VTCECH will be showing our new film Every Child. Every Day. The Vermont Foodbank and the Vermont School Nutrition Association will also be present. Encourage your legislators to visit the display and view the film. For more information, please call our office at 802-865-0255.

**CITIZEN ACTION DAY 2008 -- ACTIVATE YOUR VALUES!
February 13, 2007
10 am - 2 pm (registration starts at 9 am)
Vermont Statehouse - Rooms 10 and 11
Rural Vermont, in conjunction with the Vermont Alliance of Conservation
Voters, the Vermont Natural Resources Council, Vermont Public Interest
Research Group, and Vermonters for a Clean Environment will be hosting
their annual grassroots lobby day at the State House. Citizen Action
Day provides a great chance to lobby your legislators in solidarity
with many other concerned citizens about the issues that matter most to
you. Don’t Miss This Chance to:
-Learn tips on how to talk with your legislators and then go do it.
-Have lunch with your legislators.
-Observe a floor debate.
-Attend a committee meeting.
No prior State House experience is needed. In the early part of the
day, organizers of the event will brief attendees on key environmental
issues and lobbying techniques prior to meeting with legislators.
Dress for indoors. Bring quarters for parking in Montpelier ($1 for 1
hour). Light morning snacks will be provided. You can buy lunch in the
statehouse for around $7-$10. For more information and to RSVP (please
let us know you're coming if you can!), visit www.vtactionday.org, or
contact Shelby at (802) 223-7222 or shelby@ruralvermont.org.

**Save the Dates! NOFA-VT 2-Day Winter Conference Announced
NOFA-VT is pleased and proud to announce we will be offering, for the first
time ever, a 2-day Winter Conference, February 16th and 17th, at the Vermont
Technical College in Randolph, Vermont. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for
more information! If you’d like to be added to our mailing list to receive a
copy of the Winter Conference brochure, please contact the office, 434-4122, or
info@nofavt.org.

**Exploring the Small Farm Dream with Beth Claypoole
Are you interested in starting a small farm business? What type of
information do you need to start? What type of farming enterprise you
would like to develop? Do you know someone who has these same questions?
If these questions sound familiar, Cornell Cooperative Extension Wayne
County, in cooperation with Wayne County Agriculture Development Board
will be presenting a 4 session workshop on February 27th, March 5th, 19th,
and April 2nd to help answer these questions. This in-depth program will
run each evening from 6-9pm at the CCE Wayne County office in Newark, NY.
Applications for participation are now available by calling 315-331-8415
or by accessing the CCE website at:
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/wayne, search for "Small Farm Dream".
Applications are due by Monday, February 11.

**Maximizing Milk on Home Grown Grains and Forages
Time: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Days and Locations listed below:
March 13 – Newport, VT
March 14 – Highgate, VT
March 18 – Springfield, VT
March 19 – Rutland, VT
This traveling one-day workshop, organized by NOFA-VT and UVM Extension, is designed to meet the needs of dairy producers wanting to maximize the use of their forages systems and/or learn about incorporating home grown grains to offset the costs of purchased feeds. For more information, contact NOFA-VT, 802-434-4122 or UVM Extension, 802-524-6501

**2nd Annual Northeast Animal Power Field Days
September 26 – 28, 2008
Tunbridge Fair Grounds, Tunbridge, VT
The Northeast Animal Power Field Days is a celebration of sustainable farming and renewable resources promoting conservation, stewardship, small farms, healthy forests, and the roles that they play in vital communities. This 3-day conference will feature working animal and equipment demonstrations in field and forest settings, workshops, exhibits, networking sessions, and an auction and swap meet on Sunday. Workshop topics will include grazing management, working with draft animals, livestock health, getting started with animal power and more. For more information, go to: www.animalpowerfielddays.org or contact Carl Russell and Lisa McCrory, info@animalpowerfielddays.org, 802-234-5524. Join our discussion forum; www.draftanimalpower.com .