Your Action Required Now! The Future of IPM in the Farm Bill is at Stake!
Congress returned to session this week and is expected to tackle the Farm Bill. The future of IPM in the Farm Bill for the next five years will be decided very soon. Help us make Congress understand how important IPM is to our nation.
IPM Voice endorses IPM Center Authorization in the Farm Bill. The Senate version of the Farm Bill has made provisions for IPM Center authorization. The House included language to reauthorize IR-4 and specifically mentions specialty crops. The modernize authorization would additionally include new initiatives such as IR-4's international activities to remove pesticides as a trade barrier.
IPM Voice urges the House and Senate Conference Committees to include both of these provisions in the final version of the Farm Bill. These authorizations will help the growers of specialty and other crops by ensuring that critical programs such as IPM Centers and IR-4 are there to help with their pest management needs.
Please Contact Your Congressional Representatives! We have included additional information below for your convenient reference.
If your Representative is a Republican, ask him or her to request that Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Research Subcommittee Chairman Austin Scott include Regional IPM Centers' authorization and the appointment of a National IPM Coordinator in the upcoming Farm Bill. Point out that neither provision requires any additional spending. Add a comment of your own about why IPM is important.
If your Representative is a Democrat, ask him or her to make the same request of House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson, and the House Research Subcommittee Ranking Member Kurt Schrader.
Also contact Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, 202-224-4822, and Senator Patrick Leahy, 202-224-4242, to thank them for their leadership in supporting authorization of the IPM Centers!
These are the key leaders on the House Agriculture Committee working on the Farm Bill. If you do not know who your Congressional Representative is, visit http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/.
On behalf of IPM Voice, thank you for your support and we look forward to continuing our work in 2014.
