ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 26, 2007  

ELCA, Other Faith Groups Urge Farm Bill Reform to Help Farmers in Need
07-135-AL

     WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- As the 2007 Farm Bill headed to the
floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on July 26, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) joined with other
faith groups in backing amendments to the House Agriculture
Committee's bill that would help farmers in need both in the
United States and internationally.
     The U.S. Farm Bill, scheduled to be reauthorized in 2007,
determines agriculture, nutrition and conservation policies.  The
House Agriculture Committee completed its work on the bill July
19.
     "The House Agriculture Committee's bill is unjust.  It
maintains the status quo on a commodity system that does not
support the majority of farmers in the U.S., while harming
farmers in poor countries," said the Rev. Philip Hougen, bishop,
ELCA Southeastern Iowa Synod, Iowa City.
     The Religious Working Group on the Farm Bill, of which the
ELCA is a part, placed an ad in the July 26 issue of the Capitol
Hill newspaper, Roll Call, urging Representatives to support
amendments like the Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment,
sponsored by U.S. Representatives Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Jeff
Flake (R- Ariz.).
     The Fairness in Farm and Food Policy Amendment "will make
our nation's farm policy work for farmers in the 21st century and
help people who struggle to feed their families," said the Rev.
David H. Beckmann, president, Bread for the World.  Beckmann is
an ELCA pastor.  Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian
citizens' movement that works through advocacy with government
leaders for justice for the world's people who are living with
hunger.
     The Religious Working Group on the Farm Bill includes
Christian denominations and other faith-based organizations.  It
has organized more than 1,000 congressional visits, generated
85,000 letters sent to Congress and more than 8,000 phone calls,
and mobilized Faith Farm Teams in 38 states to write letters to
editors and to contact their members of Congress by telephone and
postcard.
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     The Roll Call ad is in a PDF file at
http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy/issues/farmbill/rwgad-07-07-25.pdf
on the ELCA Web site.
     Information on Faith Farm Teams is at
http://www.faithfarmteams.com/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog