On October 5, the House of Representatives voted 226 to 200 against the Boehlert/Kind/Gilchrest/Dingell Conservation Amendment to the Farm Bill, HR 2646. The House then passed the full bill the following day, 291 to 120.

USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Despite this letdown, we still have a great opportunity for significant reform in federal farm programs and significantly increased conservation. The vote was probably the strongest vote for major reform of federal farm programs in history, and this development is reverberating in the Senate and among members of the Bush Administration who had doubted such a degree of strength.

A few indications of achievement: every single voting Member of Congress from New York, New England and New Jersey supported the Boehlert-Kind-Gilchrest-Dingell Amendment. All but three Representatives from Pennsylvania supported the amendment. In California, all but three California Democrats supported the amendment, and county supervisors in counties that included five California Republican House members officially endorsed the amendment.

Our collective hard work and the great leadership of Representatives Kind, Gilchrest, Boehlert, Dingell and their staff has changed the terms of the debate over Farm Policy and raised the issue of agriculture conservation to a new high. Although we did not win this round, there are still great opportunities ahead to make significant gains for the environment, public health, and family farmers, ranchers and forest landowners through farm programs as a result of the groundwork we have laid.

The task immediately before us is the Senate, which may try to pass a Farm Bill this month. We need your help to ensure that the Senate does not pass the House Farm Bill (HR 2646) and that Senators demand that the Senate Farm Bill include a conservation title of at least $5.4 billion per year that is as good as the Boehlert-Kind-Gilchrest-Dingell Conservation Amendment.

TAKE ACTION NOW!
Contact your Representative to thank him/her if he/she supported the Boehlert-Kind-Gilchrest-Dingell Conservation Amendment or to express your great disappointment if he/she voted against the amendment.

Farm Bill Moving Quickly in the Senate -- Take Action Now!

To get contact information for you Senators, visit http://www.congressmerge.com

For talking points about the importance of the Conservation Amendment and the huge environmental problems with the House Farm Bill, visit http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/AgriReform/BKGDsupport.html

FINAL HOUSE VOTE:
See how your Representative voted. To identify your Representative, visit http://www.congressmerge.com/.

Final vote was 200 for and 226 against the amendment, with 5 not voting.

	AYES	NOES	Not Voting
REPUBLICAN	54	161	4
DEMOCRATIC	145	64	1
INDEPENDENT	1	1
TOTALS	200	226	5