November 5, 2001
The Honorable Craig Thomas
U.S. Senate
Hart
Senate Office Building 109
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Thomas:
We are writing to urge your strong opposition to a
competition title in the next farm bill.
While fair competition is an important issue to all
businesses -- including agriculture -- we believe it is
wrong to single out any business sector for separate and
different legal standards or restrictions related to
competitive business practices.
We represent thousands of businesses and millions of
workers in all 50 states whose earnings depend upon a
strong, free and fair marketplace. We believe existing
laws adequately ensure that such a marketplace
continues. Saddling our businesses with the cumbersome
and unnecessary rules contained in this competition
title could cause a flight of capital investment away
from U.S. agriculture, hurting rural America and its
workers at a time when the Senate Agriculture Committee
is wrestling with strategies to strengthen these
communities.
We live in uncertain times. Please don't worsen
agriculture's lot by imposing new and unnecessary
hurdles to our businesses. Please vote against a
competition title in the farm bill.
American Cotton Shippers
Association
American Crop Protection
Association
American Feed Industry
Association
American Frozen Food
Institute
American Meat Institute
American Seed
Trade
Animal Health Institute
Cargill,
Inc.
CGB Enterprises, Inc.
Chicago Board of
Trade
Corn Refiners Association
Food Distributors
International
Food Marketing
Institute
Grocery Manufacturers of
America
International Dairy Foods
Association
Louis Dreyfus Corporation
Monsanto
Company
National Association of
Manufacturers
National Chicken Council|
National
Food Processors Association
National Grain and Feed
Association
National Grain Trade Council
National
Meat Association
National Renderers
Association
National Turkey Federation
North
American Export Grain Association
North American
Millers’ Association
Oklahoma Fertilizer and Chemical
Association
Oklahoma Grain and Feed
Association
Oklahoma Seed Trade
Association
Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed
Association
Pioneer Hi-Bred
Seaboard
Corporation
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Texas Grain and
Feed Association
Tyson Foods, Inc.
United Egg
Association
U.S. Chamber of
Commerce
