These two programs are, in my opinion, two of the very best. ATTRA and SARE. ATTRA provides numerous resources to farmers - including us. Their website is a great example of their work. The quality and quantity of information there is staggering. SARE encourages farmers to continue research towards exploring how to farm sustainably. If we're going to cut anything, we should consider cutting subsidies to those who make millions on super farms and encourage intelligent and careful research that work towards better farming techniques.
MOSES did a fine job of summarizing below:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Organic and sustainable farmers know knowledge is a powerful tool, bringing innovation to their production systems and resulting in improved efficiencies and better economic returns.
The House has voted to slash the ATTRA budget, which could result in disappearance of their numerous bulletins and toll free information line. Almost 6 million sustainable agriculture bulletins were downloaded from the ATTRA website in 2010 alone, passing on information that can be found nowhere else. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (also called ATTRA) offers professional, personalized help to farmers and ranchers across the nation looking for information on a wide variety of crop, livestock, energy, and marketing matters.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) funds research, education, and extension initiatives. SARE has consistently delivered cutting edge research and technology that is farmer-driven, regionally led, and outcomes-oriented. SARE research has provided farmers with practical production techniques that are environmentally friendly and economically sound.
Congress is about to make decisions on their priorities for the 2012 funding bill. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Tom Latham sit on the subcommittees that decide agricultural funding levels. It’s important that you let them know you want to see full funding restored to the ATTRA at $3.0 million and SARE funded at $30 million.
It just takes a minute to call Senator Harkin’s office at (202) 224-3254. Ask for his aide, Richard Bender, or leave your message with the receptionist.
Please also call Representative Latham’s office at (202) 225-5476. Ask for his aide, Emily Clark, or leave your message with the receptionist.
The message is simple: “Thank you for your past support. Please fund National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) at $3 million and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) competitive grants program at $30 million, as requested by President Obama, to increase farm income, increase farming opportunities, increase alternative energy, and increase jobs.” If you have a personal statement describing your interaction with ATTRA or SARE, please tell them that as well.
Click here to learn more about SARE on the NSAC website:
Click here to learn more about the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service:
http://attra.ncat.org/who.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your input! We appreciate hearing what you have to say.