BEMA International Letter of Support for Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (S.557 and H.R. 1249). March 29, 2023

 

 

 

March 29, 2023  The Honorable Debbie Stabenow                                     The Honorable John Boozman Chairwoman                                                                      Ranking Member Senate Committee on Agriculture,                                    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry                                                        Nutrition, & Forestry Forestry             United States Senate                                                         United States Senate Washington D.C                                                               Washington D.C.   The Honorable Glenn “GT” Thompson                           The Honorable David Scott Chairman                                                                          Ranking Member House Committee on Agriculture                                     House Committee on Agriculture United States House of Representatives                           United States House of Representatives Washington D.C.                                                              Washington D.C. Dear Chairwoman Stabenow, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Boozman, and Ranking Member Scott: We, the 131 undersigned organizations, request your support in enacting meaningful reforms to our nation’s checkoff programs. Checkoff programs are mandatory participation programs under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, many of which have been directly established by Congress. These programs are funded through compulsory fees on producers of milk, eggs, beef, pork, and many other commodities. Several of these programs and associated boards have well-documented histories of waste, conflicts of interest, misuse of funding, anti-competitive behavior, and other related issues. For these reasons, farmers and ranchers across the country have grown disillusioned with the effectiveness of many of these checkoff programs as they operate today.  Programs entrusted with the hard-earned dollars of America's family farmers and ranchers should maintain the highest levels of integrity and transparency. The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (S.557 and H.R.1249) is critical to restoring a minimum level of oversight. This legislation would create appropriate safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest, give producers clarity about how their money is spent, and reduce opportunity for abuse through regular audits.  Specifically, the bill would: ● Prohibit checkoff programs from contracting with any organization that lobbies on agricultural policy.. ● Prohibit employees and agents of the checkoff boards from engaging in activities that may involve a conflict of interest. ● Establish uniform standards for checkoff programs that prohibit anti-competitive activity, unfair or deceptive acts, or any act or practice that may be disparaging to another agricultural commodity or product. ● Require transparency through the publication of checkoff program budgets and expenditures. ● Require periodic audits of compliance with the Act by the USDA Inspector General.  As you draft the 2023 Farm Bill, we urge you to include the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (S.557 and H.R.1249) as an essential reform to provide transparency and accountability in commodity checkoff programs. Sincerely,  350 Seattle Alabama State Association of Cooperatives Alfred Geis Charitable Fund American Agriculture Movement American Economic Liberties Project American Grassfed Association American Indian Mothers Inc. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) American Sustainable Business Network Animals Are Sentient Beings Inc. Appetite For Change, Inc. Attorneys for Animals, Inc. Black Emergency Managers Association International Blacks in Law Enforcement of America Bronx Climate Justice North Buckeye Quality Beef Association Bucks Environmental Action Callicrate Cattle Co. Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment Catskill Mountain Keeper Center for Food Safety Chicago Food Policy Action Council Clean Elections Texas Climate Communications Coalition Climate Crisis Policy Climate Refarm Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias CWA Local 1081 Dakota Rural Action Environmental Working Group Factory Farming Awareness Coalition Fair Start Movement Faiths for Safe Water Family Farm Defenders Farm Action Fund Farm Aid Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance Farm Forward Farm Sanctuary Food & Water Watch Food Integrity Campaign Food In Neighborhoods Community Coalition Food System Innovations FOUR PAWS USA Friends of the Earth Government Information Watch HEAL Food Alliance Health Care Without Harm HOPE for Small Farm Sustainability Independent Beef Association of North Dakota Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming Indiana Farmers Union Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Institute for Local Self-Reliance Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Iowa Farmers Union Iowa Stock Growers Association Jewish Initiative for Animals Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future Kansas Black Farmers Association Kansas Cattlemen’s Association Kiss the Ground Land Stewardship Project Latino Farmers & Ranchers International, Inc. Local Matters Mercy for Animals Michigan Farmers Union Missouri Farmers Union Missouri Rural Crisis Center Montana Cattlemen's Association Montana Farmers Union National Dairy Producers Organization NDPO National Family Farm Coalition National Farmers Union National Taxpayers Union National Women Involved in Farm Economics Naturepedic Organic Mattresses Nebraska Farmers Union Nebraska State Grange Nebraska Women Involved in Farm Economics NESAWG Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group New England Farmers Union Northeast Organic Dairy Farmers Alliance Northeast Organic Farming Association - Interstate Council Northeast Organic Farming Association of NH (NOFA-NH) Northeast Organic Farming Association of NJ (NOFA-NJ) Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY (NOFA-NY) Northern Plains Resource Council Northwest Environmental Advocates NY4Whales Oglala Sioux Livestock & Landowners Association Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Ohio Farmers Union Oklahoma Farmers Union Open Markets Institute Operation Spring Plant Inc Organic Seed Alliance P Street Progress Michigan Public Citizen Public Justice Food Project R-CALF USA Revolving Door Project Rhode Island Food Policy Council Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA Rural Advancement Fund of the National Sharecroppers, Inc. Rural Coalition RuralOrganizing.org Slow Food Houston Slow Food Sonoma County North Slow Food USA Slow Food UW Socially Responsible Agriculture Project Soul Fire Farm South Dakota Farmers Union South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Southern Colorado Livestock Association Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association Strategies for Ethical and Environmental Development (SEED) TAPPPS Group (Texas Animal Protein Producers Prosperity and Security) Group Texas Farmers Union The Earth Bill Network The Organization For Competitive Markets Union of Concerned Scientists WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture WESPAC Foundation, Inc. Western Organization of Resource Councils Wisconsin Farmers Union Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) World Farmers

Black Emergency Managers Association International Washington, D.C.
bEMA International Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)   A 501 (c) 3 organization