7/31/2019 HFHP Letter to Senate Leadership

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www.hfhpcoalition.org

June 15, 2012

The Honorable Harry Reid

Majority LeaderU.S. Senate

522 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Minority LeaderU.S. Senate

317 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Debbie Stabenow

Chairwoman

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry

U.S. Senate328A Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC, 20510

The Honorable Pat Roberts

Ranking Member

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry

U.S. Senate328A Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC, 20510

Dear Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader McConnell, Chairwoman Stabenow, and Ranking

Member Roberts:

On behalf of the newHealthy Farms, Healthy People Coalition, we are writing to urge you to

bring the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 (S.3240) up for a vote prior to the July

4 recess. The imminent expiration of the current statute at the end of the fiscal year, and theimportance of the farm bill to both rural and urban America requires that the Senate demonstrate

bold leadership that builds on the bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate Agriculture

committee in May. Further, we urge you to prioritize your support for programs and policies that

recognize and promote strong linkages between agriculture and protecting the publics health,and to reject amendments that would weaken nutrition and conservation programs.

TheHealthy Farms, Healthy People Coalition includes a diverse and allied group oforganizations across the food and agriculture system that recognize the relationship between U.S.

agriculture policies and the health of the American people. This relationship is multi-faceted and

undeniable regarding the availability of, and access to, affordable nutritious food, health and theeconomy.

With the reauthorization of the farm bill, Congress has the opportunity to act in support of public

health while also supporting farm and rural economies. We support many of the provisions inS.3240, as drafted with strong bipartisan leadership of Chairman Stabenow and Ranking Member

Roberts, to promote community food projects, including direct marketing opportunities, to

improve nutrition and combat hunger through SNAP incentive programs, protecting funding forSNAP nutrition education to promote healthy choices, and to promote environmental health and

sustainable farm land stewardship.

7/31/2019 HFHP Letter to Senate Leadership

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June 15, 2012Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader McConnell, Chairwoman Stabenow, and Ranking

Member Roberts

Re: The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 (S.3240)Page 2

www.hfhpcoalition.org

While we do have specific concerns about some provisions and omissions in the bill related to

production and conservation policies and the proposed cuts to SNAP, we urge you to protect theimportant improvements in the underlying bill and to reject proposals that would weaken

nutrition and conservation programs that are vital to farmers, the economy, and millions ofvulnerable Americans.

This bill will have a significant impact on nearly every American, from the 16 million Americanswho rely on a strong agriculture economy for employment to the millions of children and

struggling households who rely on nutrition programs to alleviate hunger and promote good

health.

We recognize the difficult fiscal and political challenges that Congress currently faces, and we

urge you to continue to work together to bring this bill up for a vote so the work in bothchambers can move toward enacting legislation before these programs expire at the end of the

fiscal year.

Your leadership is crucial to make this a farm bill that provides farmers and consumers the

support needed for a strong farm and food economy, and to protect the most vulnerable fromhunger and food insecurity, while also promoting improved health for the entire nation. Thank

you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Julia FreedgoodManaging Director

Farmland & Communities Initiatives

American Farmland Trust

Marice Ashe, JD, MPHFounder and CEO

ChangeLab Solutions

Y. Armando Nieto

Executive DirectorCalifornia Food and Justice Coalition

David Wallinga, MD, MPA

Senior Advisor in Science, Food and HealthInstitute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Dr. Robert S. Lawrence

DirectorCenter for a Livable Future

Matthew Marsom

Vice President for Public Health Policy & AdvocacyPublic Health Institute