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Over the last two years we fought together for a better farm bill for rural America. It was a long and hard fight, and we finally have a 2008 farm bill. The final bill is not everything we hoped for, lacking payment limits and a ban on meatpacker ownership of livestock. While the bill is not perfect, there is no question that your work made it better. And on the fronts where we did not prevail, your action brought unprecedented attention to the injustices present in farm policy.

You sent over 20,000 letters online to your Senators and Representatives during the debate. Nearly 500 Iowans mailed personal letters to Senator and Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin, hundreds more in other states were mailed letters too, and thousands more made phone calls during critical junctures in the debate. Most of you acted more than once.

Your actions helped win:

• A first-ever Rural Microenterprise Assistance Program to support rural small businesses.
• New initiatives to support beginning farmers.
• Important new funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program (formally the Conservation Security Program).
• Value-added producer grants for small and mid-sized farms.
• A requirement that the USDA write rules and regulations to prevent price discrimination against family livestock producers.

Your efforts helped win these and other victories in the 2008 farm bill.

The Center for Rural Affairs opposed the final bill because it lacked payment limits. But your commitment to the future of rural America resulted in changes that will deliver real benefits to family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. With your help, we will continue the fight for a better future for all of our small towns.

The Center for Rural Affairs is proud to stand with you in the fight for better farm and rural policy and a strong future for rural America.

From all of us, thank you.

Contact: Brian Depew, 402.687.2103 x 1015, briand@cfra.org to comment. For more about the 2008 farm bill visit www.cfra.org.