News

Impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney to prevent Wider War in the Middle East and Bring U.S. Forces Home from Iraq with Professor Francis Boyle
a radio show transcript

Gary King: "We Are All Constituents"
by Stephen Fox

The Hunting Fallacy
by Cyril Christo

Impeachment Limerick
Richard Arthure

What is a Culture of Peace?
by Louise Diamond

“Powerbrokers” (Legislative Leadership and Lobbyists) in Control of Conference Committee
by Stephen Fox

NM Senate Joint Memorial to Begin Process of Prohibiting Production of New Nuclear Weapons in New Mexico
by Leland Lehrman

Newly Elected Las Cruces Representative Jeff Steinborn Introduces Irrigation Fund Bill
by Stephen Fox

Native American Education Act Vital to New Senator Lynda Lovejoy
by Stephen Fox

Legislature is a “Brain Trust” to Accomplish All We Need in New Mexico
by Stephen Fox

Activists Ask Congress to Improve Farm Bill
by Leland Lehrman

At a recent gathering in Santa Fe - sponsored by La Montanita Coop, Cloud Cliff, Edible Santa Fe and others - distinguished local and national members of the organic farming and environmental movements gave terrific presentations regarding the so-called Farm Bill. This $90 billion piece of legislation, up for renewal this year, is responsible for food stamp funding, agribusiness subsidies, conservation projects and a few much smaller programs designed to help organic farmers and communities. Given that most of the funding that is not set aside to pay for food stamps is allocated to chemical and genetically modified agribusiness, the Farm Bill is now subsidizing an agriculture policy that contributes measurably to the nation’s nutritional emergencies and has created a 7,000 square mile dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico because of chemical runoff in the Midwest. Similar and related problems exist in the Chesapeake Bay, nationwide and around the world.

Another substantial problem with the bill is that it creates artificially low prices for its main crop subsidies: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice and cotton. Low prices on these crops then cause displacement in foreign nations that can’t compete leading to the immigration problem in the US and devastated communities around the world.
Dan Imhoff, author of “Food Fight, The Citizen’s Guide to a Food and Farm Bill” highlighted the presentation at Cloud Cliff and in Albuquerque the preceeding day. He and his allies at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market, Defenders of Wildlife, and Mark Winne Associates have put together an action alert you can use to contact your Senators and Congresspeople. Entitled “Food Fight 2007,” the alert urges us to vote with our fork and with our vote: “Your representatives need to hear your concerns about the 2007 Farm Bill.” Here are some points to make to your Congresspeople. (Capitol Switchboard: 800-459-1887) Tell them that:

· You care about their vote on the upcoming Farm Bill.
· You want more money for local, community-based organic farming and research.
· You want a Farm Bill that provides local, organic food in schools.
· You want a Farm Bill that increases access to healthy foods for all Americans.
· You want a farm bill that helps native, threatened and endangered species.
· You want a farm bill that will protect and restore rivers, streams, and will include. riparian areas under the definition of wetlands for conservation purposes.
· You want expanded and fully funded conservation programs.
· You don’t want conservation programs consolidated.

The action alert also mentions educational resources available to expand your understanding of the dangerous consequences of our current misguided food and farm policy, both on the environment and our health. Mr. Imhoff’s book is recommended along with “You Are What You Grow,” by Michael Pollan and “Amber Waves of Bland” by Dan Barber. Recommended websites with more information and the opportunity to stay current moving forward are farmandfoodproject.org, www.farmbillprimer.org, & omorganics.org.