CHICAGO (ELCA) -- At least 36 organizations representing farm, union and religious groups endorsed a "Family Farmers' Five-Point Agenda" for replacing the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, commonly known as the 1996 Farm Bill. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), through its Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., is among the groups that endorsed the recommendations.
LOGA works for social justice on domestic policy issues and represents the ELCA within the arena of federal public policy debate. It is a program of the ELCA Division for Church in Society.
The 36 groups reached a consensus on the family farmers' agenda earlier this year, said Sandra A. LaBlanc, ELCA director for rural ministry resources and networking. Since then the recommendations have been used for educational purposes, she said.
The family farmers' agenda calls for adoption of a new Farm Bill, restoring competition through enforcement of anti-trust laws, protecting consumers and the environment, holding referenda on mandatory commodity "checkoff" program; and negotiating fair trade agreements.
The agenda was part of the discussions during the March 20-21 Rally for Rural America in Washington, D.C., LaBlanc said. The ELCA was a rally sponsor.
In its social statement on economic life, "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All," the ELCA called for changes to assure that farmers receive a greater proportion of the retail food dollar. The statement also called for adequate prices for agricultural products so that farmers can be compensated fairly for labor and production costs. The 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted the statement.
In the current farm economy in the United States, thousands of farmers and their surrounding communities have gone out of business or face that as a possibility in the future, said the Rev. Russell O. Siler, LOGA director.
"Growing numbers [of concerned citizens] point to the 1996 Farm Bill and its actions, magnified by the collapse of the global food market, terrible weather conditions and a growing concentration of power and control of our entire food supply in the hands of a few multinational corporations," he said. Congressional leaders seem more receptive now to the possibility of reopening the Farm Bill for more discussion, Siler added.
Possible strategies addressed by the family farmers' agenda are:
+Passage of a new farm bill that will establish non-recourse loans at "near cost" of production levels to ensure farm income comes from the marketplace; enacting short-term conservation measures to avoid overproduction; creating a farmer-owned reserve to ensure food security at all times; maintaining planting flexibility; and establishing a national dairy policy to ensure a farmer's cost of production and a return on investment.
+Restoring market competition by placing a moratorium on mergers and acquisitions in agribusiness, transportation, food-processing operations and retail companies; requiring strict enforcement of the federal "Packers and Stockyards Act" to end price discrimination; and enacting a ban on packer ownership of livestock.
+Protecting consumers and the environment by requiring stricter labeling of imported meats and others foods; stopping expansion of large-scale factory farms; and protecting environmentally fragile lands and habitats.
+Holding referenda on the mandatory pork and beef checkoffs as petitioned by independent producers.
+Negotiating fair trade agreements that ensure all countries retain the right to develop farm programs that respond to the needs of their farmers and consumers; putting an end to export "dumping" at below the cost of production, which undermines the domestic economy; and ensuring environmental protection, fair wages and worker rights are part of every trade agreement.
LaBlanc said she hopes the five-point farm agenda will motivate ELCA members and others to voice rural concerns to their elected representatives, and encourage use of "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All."
Religious organizations that joined the ELCA to endorse the farm agenda were the Mennonite Central Committee, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Methodist Board of Church in Society and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. Other groups endorsing the agenda include the AFL-CIO, Farm Aid, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, National Family Farm Coalition, National Farmers Union, National Milk Producers Federation and Partners for Rural America. -------------
The text of "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All" is available on the World Wide Web at www.elca.org/dcs/economiclife.html. Additional resources from LOGA are available at www.loga.org.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
