Over 155 organizations have signed onto a letter to U.S. Senators asking them to support amendments by Senators Jon Tester and Kay Hagan to S. 510 to protect the viability of small local processors and farms that sell direct to consumers.
The amendments proposed by Sen. Tester and Sen. Hagan do not weaken food safety at the local level and they do not open the gates for uninspected imports. In fact, they make the food system safer by ensuring that limited resources can be directed toward inspections, for both domestic and foreign food manufacturers, and not harrassing small famers or processors whose produce is not distributed widely.
Direct market farmers, small processors and local foods farmers markets and cooperatives describe how they will be adversely impacted by passage of S. 510 without the Tester and Hagan amendments.
Short briefing paper on how the bill affects small processors and how the Tester - Hagan amendments will address the problem.
A short briefing paper on how the bill affects small farms selling direct to consumers. And how the Tester Hagan amendments will address the problem.
S. 510 as it came out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Hints for meeting with Editors/Editorial Board
- Prepare packets in advance and make one for everyone you are talking to. (Consider using the above materials, other editorials or letters to the editor, articles, etc.)
- Prepare your top-line message ahead of time and rehearse. When going as a group assign topics so the ground is covered. Be prepared for probing questions and a discussion.
- Schedule in advance. Request a meeting with the editor or with the editorial board. Ask who will be there and how much time you will have for the discussion.
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