SAMPLE LETTER on 2007 Farm Bill

Address to:

Senator Diane Feinstein, 11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, #915 , Los Angeles, CA 90025

Senator Barbara Boxer 312 North Spring Street, #1748 , Los Angeles, CA 90012

Dear Senator _______________:

My name is _________and I live in _____________I am very concerned about many problems I see in my area, including poverty, the need for better nutrition, the need to support small farmers, and the need to end government waste. I am writing to you about the 2007 Farm Bill because it has opportunities to address all of these problems.

______________________________________

(CHOOSE ONE OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS)

(**Add any comments that show your personal connection to the issue: for example, if you are a teacher who sees the need for healthier school food, mention your school and the number of students.)

1. The 2007 Farm Bill should help end hunger in America. Please support increases in food stamp benefits: Most persons receiving food stamps are in working families or they are disabled/retired persons who cannot work. The benefits have not kept up with the cost of living, especially with the rise in fuel costs. Please support changes that will decrease the red tape in receiving food stamp benefits and make the program cheaper to administer.

2. The 2007 Farm Bill should promote good nutrition. There are epidemic levels of diabetes and obesity in the United States. We are encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables but most farm subsidy payments go to support less healthy foods. Please support adding more fruits and vegetables to programs that distribute food to food banks, seniors, and Native American reservations.

Please support programs that help schools buy more fresh fruits and vegetables for the children’s meal programs.

Please support assistance to allow more stores in the inner city to offer fresh fruit and vegetables.

3. The 2007 Farm Bill should help small farmers. Although we need big and small farms, small farms are important parts of local economies. People want to eat more food that is fresh and locally grown with no pesticides, but do not always have access to it. Please support proposals that help communities build a locally based farm economy including farmer’s markets.

4. The 2007 Farm Bill should end waste in farm subsidies. Many wealthy people are receiving farm subsidy payments even though they aren’t even farmers. Please eliminate these practices.

________________________________

I thank you very much for taking the time to consider these issues. The 2007 Farm Bill should be a “Good Food” bill. I am counting on your support for these proposals. Thank you very much.

(Remember to put your return address )

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