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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Note the request for other national, regional and local
organizations to consider signing. We worked with several other
conservation organizations over the weekend and urged that group letter(s) be
circulated across the nation to provide state and local groups the opportunity
to sign on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>If you would like to sign your organization on to one or both of
the letters, please e-mail me at <a href="mailto:tva@pollinator.org">tva@pollinator.org</a>
by 11:00 eastern Wednesday, July 21. I will compile and forward all I
receive to Ferd.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>The Pollinator Partnership has committed to sign on to both
attached letters. Note that pollinator habitat is specifically
mentioned. The farm bill conservation programs represent the major resource
to help farmers and ranchers voluntarily invest in conservation, habitat and
related practices. Defending hard-won “mandatory” funding
from raids to fund other program and cut federal funding is critically
important.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Feel free to forward (asap) to others who may be interested.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Tom<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Director of Public Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> Pollinator Partnership<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> (703) 509-4746<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> <a href="mailto:tva@pollinator.org"><span
style='color:blue'>tva@pollinator.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/"><span
style='color:blue'>Pollinator Partnership</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://www.nappc.org/"><span
style='color:blue'>North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC)</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Ferd Hoefner
[mailto:fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 19, 2010 12:06 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Farm Bill Conservation Programs Full Committee<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [ag] Urgent - Two Sign On Letters<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Hi all - Negotiations over
finding offsets for the Child Nutrition bill are heating up this week in the
House. In addition, as you know, the pending bill in the Senate contains
a large cut to EQIP, and the Senate Approps Co just included cuts to the easement
programs in their ag approps bill. We need a strong showing of national,
regional and state organizations to show united opposition to using farm bill
conservation budget as the ATM machine for other purposes. <br>
<br>
Please let me know if you can sign on to both of these attached letters - one
to Pelosi, one to Reid. House letter addresses just child
nutrition. Senate addresses both child nutrition and approps. But
same basic letter otherwise.<br>
<br>
Deadline is noon eastern time on Wednesday.<br>
<br>
Also, please strongly consider sending the letter out to your regional and
state affiliates, partners, lists, etc. If you send the two letters out,
please have the sign-ons from the hinterlands come back to YOU, and then
forward them to me as a complete set. Also, in sending it out for groups
to sign onto, please pay particular attention to California, Connecticut,
Maryland, and Massachusetts, which happen to be the key states for House
negotiations. Michigan and South Carolina also help. And of course
Nevada in Senate.<br>
<br>
Thanks!!!! -- Ferd<br>
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
Ferd Hoefner<br>
Policy Director<br>
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition<br>
110 Maryland Avenue NE<br>
Washington, DC 20002<br>
202-547-5754<br>
<a href="mailto:fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net">fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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