Urgent Action: Stop the Raid on Conservation and Local Foods Dollars

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	August 8, 2008 Keep Conservation and Local Foods Funding Intact Dear Agriculture, Tell Congress to maintain farm bill funding levels to help farmers keep our water clean and provide fresh, local foods. The important gains we made for conservation and local foods in the 2008 Farm Bill are at risk. The administration is trying to cut conservation funding for the upcoming year through the appropriations process—undermining important gains achieved in the 2008 Farm Bill. Take action now and tell Congress to preserve the funding levels crafted over many years in the farm bill. Spending levels for conservation, local foods and specialty crops are a result of a delicate balance in negotiations and should not be overturned less than 60 days after the enactment of the farm bill. Cuts are proposed for several conservation programs including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Farmland Protection Program and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program. These programs provide important funds for the environment to assist farmers and ranchers in applying conservation measures on their land. In addition, cuts are proposed to funds that supply fresh fruits and vegetables for school lunch programs and assistance to fruit and vegetable growers. Contact your Senators and Representatives now. Ask them to request Congressional Appropriators to stick with the balanced funding provided in the 2008 Farm Bill. It is critical for Congress to send a clear signal that farm bill funding for conservation and local foods cannot be raided for other purposes. Conservation programs are historically underfunded, and we must not turn the clock back on the environmental gains these programs provide. Sincerely,     Jon Scholl President, American Farmland Trust
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