CWS joins faith leaders in calling on Senate to reform 2007 Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct 25, 2007--Church World Service is one of a group of faith leaders calling on the Senate to vote for reform of U.S. farm policy.
The Rev. John L. McCullough, CEO of the New York-based hunger fighting agency, said the U.S. system of low crop prices and government subsidies is destroying small farmers and communities in developing nations and also harming rural communities in the U.S.
"We need farm policy that supports these small farmers and that does not make it difficult to impossible for small farmers in developing nations around the world to make a living through farming,â Rev. McCullough said."
The Senate agriculture committee now is preparing to send the farm bill to the full senate for a vote. In an effort to insure that the views of the faith community are reflected in the new legislation an alliance of U.S. faith groups, including CWS, yesterday called upon Senators to adopt reforms designed to reclaim the farm billâs historic moral identity as a covenant with small- and medium-sized farmers in the U.S., and a source of hope to people in need at home and around the world.
âFairness and opportunity for farmers in times of need were the fundamental values upon which Congress built the first farm bill in the 1930s,â said the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church. âTodayâs farm policy has abandoned those values. 2007 is the year for Congress to put fairness and opportunity back into U.S. farm policy and establish a new covenant with rural America and those in need at home and around the world.â
"Our country needs a fresh, new approach to the farm bill, one that helps people who need it the mostâU.S. farmers of modest means, struggling rural communities, hungry people and farmers in developing countries,â said the Reverend David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World. âThe demand for comprehensive reform is mounting from many people of faith and both sides of the aisle.â
âI pray that Congress understands that the future of rural America is no longer inextricably linked to farming, as is reflected in small towns throughout South Dakota that are struggling to survive,â said the Reverend David B. Zellmer, Bishop of the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. âWe need increased investment in rural development, conservation, and nutrition; these are the programs that are most meaningful to rural America.â
âThe General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has expressed concern that payments are going to the largest, wealthiest farms while leaving behind the majority of farm families,â said the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). âWe urge the Senate to pass meaningful commodity program payment limits such as those proposed by Senators Dorgan (D-ND) and Grassley (R-IA).â
"If we fail to provide real reform to trade distorting commodity programs, then our subsidized export is not food, but poverty for the developing world," said the Reverend Dr. Earl Trent Jr., Executive Director of Mission for the Progressive National Baptist Convention.
"We have a historic opportunity with this legislation to reduce hunger and poverty both here in the United States and in some of the world's most impoverished countries,â said the Reverend Jim Wallis, President and CEO of Sojourners/Call to Renewal. âIt's time for our Senators to show courageous leadership to enact reforms that serve the common good."
âWe can and must do more to address the plight of struggling family farmers,â said the Most Reverend Ronald Gilmore, President of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. âHave we honestly done enough to target farm supports to those who need it most?â
As part of its Sow Justice campaign (h ttp://www.churchworldservice.org/Educ_Advo/farmbill/) in support of Farm Bill reform Church World Service regularly makes available educational resources and updates and calls citizens to action around farm bill reform through its Speak Out alerts.
Church World Service is the relief, development and refugee assistance agency of 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations in the United States.
##
Contact: Lesley Crosson, Church World Service, (212) 870-2676
Shawnda Hines, Bread for the World: 888-75-BREAD ext.2 (toll free); (301) 960- 4913 (direct)
Alex Baumgarten, The Episcopal Church: (202)547-7300
Bob Gronski, National Catholic Rural Life Conference: (515)270-2634