[FLPERMACULTURE] Save National Sustainable Farming Program

[Michael Burns]

Please READ, SHARE and ACT upon this call for support!

The Senate has voted to defund Appropriate Technology Transfer for  
Rural Areas' (ATTRA) ultra-modest annual budget. The loss of ATTRA  
would be a real loss to sustainable agriculture.

This defies belief. To save $2.5 million, they'll wipe out one of the  
most important information sources for small-scale farmers in the U.S.

CONTEXT
In Iraq, we're blowing at least $200 million per day. So the Senate  
(including candidate Clinton), which won't challenge Bush on war  
funding, is eliminating ATTRA to save the equivalent of about an  
hour's worth of mayhem in Iraq. (Such as the plight of Iraq's  
agriculture: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/48227/)

Second, the USDA's annual R&D budget stands at about $2.4 billion.  
Almost all of that cash flows into research for chemically dependent,  
industrial agriculture projects. In that context, eliminating the  
scraps tossed to sustainable/organic farming is particularly galling.

BACKGROUND
- For twenty years, ATTRA has been one of the most reliable sources  
of information for farmers and others who want fact-based information  
on a wide variety of agronomic, livestock, marketing, and  
entrepreneurial questions with reliable information, evaluated and  
summarized from its extensive database. It is a highly rated national  
information service that answers practical questions with its 1-800  
telephone number, print publications from its website, and workshops.

- ATTRA is an extraordinarily efficient program. Though its funding  
has remained far too small, at $2.5 million since FY02, it  
accomplishes great work for farmers and consumers around the nation!  
ATTRA's services are in great demand, exceeding 37,000 technical  
requests last year and drawing over 2.6 million unique visitors to  
its website, from which there were more than 673,000 publication  
downloads.

- To learn more, visit ATTRA's excellent website: http://attra.org/

TAKE ACTION
Last week, the Senate passed the "Continuing Resolution," which makes  
permanent funding decisions for the fiscal year already underway  
(Fiscal Year 2007), which wasn't completed before the last Congress  
ended. Distressingly, this resolution would IMMEDIATELY eliminate  
funding for a program crucial to sustainable agriculture!

Congressman Boozman (R-AR) is circulating a sign-on letter to USDA to  
fund ATTRA's modest $2.5 million. It's crucial that you call, today  
if possible, and ask your House member to sign onto that letter. NOW  
is the time to ask them to sign on, as Congressman Boozman will take  
this message to USDA early the week of February 26. Senators are also  
sending individual letters to USDA with the same message.

It's easy to call (and your call has a big impact). Please call the  
congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected  
to the office of your representative and your two senators (this  
means three very quick calls). Ask to speak to the staffer handling  
appropriations. If he or she is unavailable, leave a message with  
your name, phone number and the quick message below.

THE MESSAGE

For your representative:
1. Please ask Congressman/woman _______ to sign onto Congressman  
Boozman's letter asking USDA to restore full 2007 funding to the  
ATTRA sustainable agriculture information service.
2. Tell the staffer for your Representative that they can contact  
Maggie Lemmerman at (202) 225-4301 in Mr. Boozman's office to sign  
onto the letter.)
3. Emphasize that ATTRA is a national valuable source of information  
to farmers across the US about how to farm using sustainable  
practices, and it shouldn't be cut.

For your senators:
1. Please ask Senator _______ to send a letter asking USDA to restore  
full funding to the ATTRA sustainable agriculture information service.
2. Tell the staffer for your Senator that John Lewis in Senator  
Baucus' office (202) 224-2651 can provide information on the wording  
of the letter that Senator Baucus sent if that's helpful.)
3. Emphasize that ATTRA is a national valuable source of information  
to farmers across the US about how to farm using sustainable  
practices, and it shouldn't be cut.


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Michael Burns
http://www.cayuta.org
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Earn your permaculture design certificate.
The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute
offers affordable local classes.
http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org
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