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07435 July 18, 2007
Stated Clerk joins in call for farm bill that 'strengthens rural communities'
Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE - Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly Stated Clerk the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick joined a number of religious leaders July 17 in a letter sent to the speaker of the United States House of Representatives pressing for a reform-minded farm bill.
The letter, sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, coincided with the start of debates on the 2007 Farm Bill by the House Agriculture Committee. Copies of the letter also were sent to both Democrat and Republican leadership of the House.
Kirkpatrick signed the letter along with 12 other leaders of Christian denominations and faith-based advocacy groups, including the Rev. David Beckman, president of Bread for the World; the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and the Rev. John H. Thomas, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ.
The full text of the letter:
17 July 2007
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House Washington, DC 20515
Dear Madam Speaker:
We write as leaders of Christian denominations and faith-based advocacy organizations working for a U.S. farm bill that strengthens rural communities at home and around the world. As the House nears floor consideration of the bill and it becomes apparent that calls for reform have not been taken seriously by members of the Agriculture Committee, we urge the House leadership to take a bold stand in favor of a new covenant with rural America.
Current U.S. farm policy represents a broken promise to America's farmers and rural communities, and a severe distortion of our nation's fundamental values of fairness and opportunity for all people. The vision behind the first U.S. farm bill in the 1930s - an economic safety net for farmers during difficult times - is barely recognizable in today's farm bill. Commodity subsidies flow to a small number of primarily large-scale farms while the majority of farm families and rural communities are left behind. In addition, U.S. commodity payments exert downward pressure on existing low crop prices, harming not only small and moderate size farmers at home, but paralyzing poor farmers in developing countries who simply cannot gain a foothold in agricultural markets distorted by the current U.S. commodity payment system.
The status quo must not be allowed to prevail in the 2007 farm-bill debate. The work of the Agriculture Committee thus far has failed to yield any meaningful hope for reform. In a time of fiscal constraints, we feel that existing farm bill resources offer an initial source of funds that should be more prudently distributed to farmers, rural communities and people who are hungry and living in poverty. We commit ourselves to supporting a new set of priorities for U.S. farm policy. The time has come for Congress to reclaim the values and the vision behind the original farm bill.
Specifically, the 2007 farm bill should:
Reform the commodity program to significantly reduce payments that distort prices and supply in ways that violate U.S. commitments and make it harder for farmers in poor countries to feed their families.
Reform U.S. farm policy to be more equitable, reducing payments to those who need them least and strengthening help to those who need them most, particularly socially disadvantaged farmers;
Strengthen the food stamp program by increasing the level of benefits to reflect current costs of living; removing administrative barriers that keep poor and hungry people from accessing food stamps; and investing in programs that reach out to seniors, the sick, disabled and vulnerable families;
Increase investment in rural development targeting communities with the greatest need, create new programs that assist rural entrepreneurs and promote small business development;
Expand funding and access to conservation programs, in particular the Conservation Security Program for working farms which has effectively been eliminated in the Committee's current legislative draft; and
Strengthen and increase international food aid in ways that encourage local food security and ensure that the first Millennium Development Goal of reducing hunger by one half is achieved by 2015.
The prophet Jeremiah tells us of God's description of a wise ruler: "He gave the poor a fair trial, and all went well with him." (Jeremiah 22:16) Our nation's current farm policy is a fair trial for no one, least of all people living in poverty and those in need. To a greater or lesser degree, our farm bill touches all Americans. It also reaches beyond our borders to some of the least among our brothers and sisters. We urge Members of Congress to seek broad reform in the next farm bill and we urge you, Madam Speaker, to be a leader of such reform.
With prayerful good wishes for your work on behalf of the American people and for the common good of all, we remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Rev. David Beckman President Bread for the World
The Rev. John L. McCullough Executive Director and CEO Church World Service
The Rev. Daniel Vestal Executive Coordinator Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Timothy J. Kautza Executive Director (Interim) National Catholic Rural Life Conference
The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar General Secretary
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
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