National Grange is encouraging all Grange members who did not respond to the 2010 Census to answer the door when enumerators knock.

Background

About 635,000 Census takers began canvassing neighborhoods and residences in early May to follow up with households that either did not mail back their form, did not receive one, or sent their form in too late to be processed. An estimated 48 million addresses will be visited through July 10 of this year. More than 72 percent of the nation’s households mailed back their Census forms, but achieving a complete and accurate Census requires the Census Bureau to now go door-to-door to count all the remaining households.

“Judging by the numbers, Americans have been supportive of the Census, but we still have more ground to cover,” Ed Luttrell, National Grange President said. “I’m encouraging everyone who did not fill out their Census form to open their door to the enumerators. By cooperating, residents will ensure that their community receives its fair share of more than $400 billion in federal funding allocated each year based on Census numbers. This money helps to support such things as local roads and bridges, emergency services, recreation and economic development programs, schools, job training, senior centers, and hospitals.”

Luttrell noted that local communities and municipalities will be short-changed hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars for every person who isn’t counted. In addition to dollars, Census figures also impact federal, state, and local politics by determining the number of members each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and where legislative boundaries are drawn.

The Census Bureau has stringent systems in place to ensure that people can feel safe when they open their door to a Census taker. All Census takers undergo an FBI background check that includes both name and fingerprint checks. All have taken an oath for life to protect the information they collect and understand that they face stiff penalties, jail time, or both for any disclosure of personally identifiable information.

Grange Policy

Action Needed

If you have not returned you census form and are visited by a census worker, take the time to answer 10 short questions. To ensure verification that the person knocking on your door is a legitimate Census taker, consider the following:

It’s important to note that Census takers will not ask for a Social Security, bank account, or credit card number, solicit donations, or contact you by e-mail.

In most cases, Census workers will visit each address three times and try to telephone up to three times. If the resident does not answer, the Census worker will leave a door hanger and a phone number that the resident may call to schedule an interview.

If a Census taker knocks on your door, please help by providing the basic information required for the Census. Your answers are strictly confidential. For more information about the 2010 Census, log onto www.2010census.gov or call the U.S. Census Bureau toll-free at (866) 872-6868.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

The U.S. Senate will vote as early as June 10 th on Senate Joint Resolution 26, (S.J. Res. 26) which will block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases. This resolution has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Background and Resolution Highlights

U.S. EPA is planning to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and stationary sources next year. The authority to specifically regulate greenhouse gasses as a source of air pollution, including carbon dioxide, is nowhere in the text of the Clean Air Act. However, under a U.S. Supreme Court decision known as Massachusetts v EPA, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act grants discretionary, but not mandatory, authority to EPA to identify and regulate possible additional sources of air pollution that are not specifically addressed in the text of the Clean Air Act. EPA has proposed to use this discretionary regulatory authority to impose new regulations on man made sources of greenhouse gasses. At the same time, Congress and the Obama Administration are working on legislation that would provide new legal authority that specifically names greenhouse gasses as potential sources of air pollution and delineates the regulatory authority that Federal agencies, like EPA, could use to control these sources of pollution. However, some lawmakers and environmental groups still support strict EPA regulations as a backstop if Congress fails to pass a climate bill, while opponents of EPA regulation, like the National Grange, say the Clean Air Act was never designed for regulating sources of pollution that are not directly dangerous to human health, such as greenhouse gases.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has introduced S. J. Res. 26 with the intent to undo EPA’s discretionary authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, and effectively reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v EPA that radically shifted the presumptive legal authority to address new, national issues of environmental regulation from the elected, national legislature, with its Constitutional system of checks and balances, to unelected bureaucrats at EPA . The sponsor said she has unanimous consent agreement with Majority Leader Harry Reid to call for a floor vote after the weeklong Memorial Day recess. Since Congress will be in recess for the holiday, there will be an opportunity for all Grange members to contact their U.S. Senators in their home offices to express support for Sen. Murkowski’s resolution.

S.J. Res. 26 is a disapproval resolution seeking to veto EPA’s “endangerment finding,” a formal determination that allows the agency to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The resolution will effectively negate EPA’s authority to enforce its climate rules for cars and industrial facilities. Under Senate rules, the resolution can be debated for 10 hours with no filibusters or amendments possible. The resolution needs 51 votes to pass the Senate and already has 41 co-sponsors including three democrats.

Even if the resolution passes the Senate, it faces an uphill climb in the House, which does not have the same expedited procedures, and it faces a likely veto from President Obama. However, it is still important for Grange members to weigh in and support S.J. Res. 26 because it is important that our elected officials understand the potential, real life economic impacts of allowing unelected bureaucrats at the EPA, rather than elected members of Congress, to unilaterally set our national priorities related to important environmental issues, like climate change

Grange Policy

At the 143rd National Grange convention, grassroots policy was passed by the delegate body to vigorously oppose any “Cap and Trade” bill or related legislation or regulation concerning climate change s that would restrict greenhouse gas emissions.

Action Needed

Please e-mail your U.S. Senators before June 10, 2010 and urge them to vote in favor of S.J. Res. 26. Please feel free to cut and paste the following sample letter. If you do not know your Senators’ email addresses please click here to find them.

Sample E-Mail

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

H.R. 5175 could prohibit organizations such as the National Grange and local Granges from issue oriented lobbying and sponsoring “Get Out the Vote” programs, which encourage citizens to exercise their rights to vote on Election Day.

Background

On January 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that corporations and unions may now advocate for the election or defeat of candidates for federal office, as long as they do not coordinate their efforts with campaigns or political parties. The decision specifies that the First Amendment protects corporations (including incorporated non-profit grassroots civic associations such as the National Grange and its affiliated chapters) as well as unions the same as individuals with regard to the ability to spend money to influence elections. The decision also keeps in place disclosure and disclaimer requirements. These requirements involve reports that have to be filed with the FEC on electioneering communications, and the ads themselves must carry a disclaimer stating who is responsible for the content. However, it leaves in place the prohibition on direct corporate or union contributions to candidates. This Supreme Court’s ruling ensures family farmers and rural small business owners the opportunity to be heard throughout the electoral process.

The broad scope of the language of the DISCLOSE Act would potentially require the same burdensome public disclosure on the National Grange for non-partisan, issue oriented, and civic responsibility oriented political advocacy efforts. The result would, in effect, go far beyond the concerns raised by the expanded First Amendment rights for corporations and unions created by the Supreme Court in the Citizens United case. Instead, the DISCLOSE Act would stifle issue related political advocacy speech by non-profit, grassroots organizations, such as the National Grange, that were not part of the Supreme Court ruling.

By specifically targeting corporations and incorporated associations, H.R. 5175 stands in stark contrast to past campaign-finance legislation, which sought to treat unions and corporations equally. Sponsors of this legislation have set disclosure limits at $600, effectively exempting unions yet including virtually all associations and corporations. The bill also exempts unions from having to disclose transfers of up to $50,000 from affiliated unions, while allowing for no comparable exemption for businesses or associations.

Grange Policy

Since 1867, under its by-laws and constitution, the National Grange and its affiliated local, county, and state Grange chapters are strictly forbidden from endorsing candidates, donating to campaigns, using Grange resources to promote a particular candidate, participating in the partisan activities of individual political parties or otherwise engaging in actives to support or oppose candidates for public office. However, the National Grange and its affiliates are free to engage in issue related lobbying and public policy education efforts as well as sponsor non-partisan, generic Get Out the Vote (GOTV) programs to encourage residents in rural communities where local Granges are located to exercise their rights to vote and to participate in the election process as volunteers on election day.

At the 143rd annual National Grange convention the delegates passed policy opposing all legislation limit­ing the individual’s ability to lobby and communicate with elected officials either directly or through organizations such as the Grange. Specifically the Grange policy states campaign finance legislation should include no restrictions on the first amendment free speech rights of Grange members to associate freely and mutually advocate for policies and programs that benefit them. Grange policy also supports a prohibition of Politi­cal Action Committees (PACs) from making contributions to politi­cal campaigns and making it illegal for any candidate, holder of public office, or national party, to accept campaign gifts or contributions from foreign countries and/or citizens of foreign countries—at all levels of government.

The National Grange opposes H.R. 5175 for two primary reasons. First, it threatens the First Amendment rights of small farmers and ranchers, rural small business owners and rural residents across the country who exercise their constitutional free-speech rights through non-profit, grassroots, civic organizations, such as the National Grange. Secondly, narrow, unfair exemptions for a few politically-favored special interest groups, such as union and politically powerful, mostly single interest, membership organizations with more than 500,000 members, were added to the legislation. These loopholes undermine the intent of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which upheld the right to engage in free speech, particularly political speech regardless of corporate or union association.

Action Needed

Please e-mail your U.S. Representative urging them to oppose H.R. 5175. Please feel free to cut and paste the following sample letter. If you do not know your Representative’s e-mail address, click here to find it.

Sample E-Mail

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

S.510would prohibit farmers, food producers, food manufacturing facilities, and U.S. importers from retaining full control of their operations, products, product distribution, and business records by granting unprecedented authority to the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, and Homeland Security. S. 510 is currently on the floor of the U.S. Senate and a vote on Final Passage in the Senate is scheduled for November 29, 2010. Please Email your Senator today and let them know that Food Safety is important in rural America but this measure misses the target.

 Background

On March 3, 2009, Senator Richard Durbin introduced S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Under the provisions of Title I, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, would be allowed to discontinue a facility’s registration, order a recall of a facility’s product, require owners and operators to evaluate the hazards of their food, implement and monitor preventative controls, and maintain records of such. In addition, both the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture would be required to devise, implement, coordinate, process, and make public a “Food Defense Strategy.”

Title II of the act requires the Secretaries to fund inspection of facilities, the establishment of projects to explore, evaluate, and track processed food, and train local, state, and federal government employees to comply. While Title III of the act primarily deals with imports and products produced in other countries, it additionally requires the FDA to fund and establish FDA offices in other countries, recognize third-party bodies that train and employ auditors, and do all of this on the American Taxpayer’s dime.

Although Senator Jon Tester (D) of Montana was able to amend S. 510 and reduce the burden of some small farmers and facilities, it does not fix the overbearing intent and implications of the master bill. The only folks who are exempt under the amendment are farmers who sold less that $500,000 worth of food in the previous 3-year period and whose food was sold to consumers, restaurants or grocery stores. (Third-party food brokers are subject to this measure, and are not exempted under this amendment.) Additionally, protected entities would have to sell their products in the state where the product was made, or harvested, or within 275 miles of that original site.

Currently this measure is up for final passage in the U.S. Senate and is scheduled for a vote on November 29, 2010. A similar measure, H.R. 2749, The Food Safety Enhancement Act was passed by the U.S. House last year. This measure also has increased record-keeping requirements.

Grange Policy

At the 144th National Grange Convention held recently in Charlotte, North Carolina, Grangers repeated their support for strong inspection standards on all livestock, feed, meats, and dairy products. Grangers believe the USDA and FDA should collaborate on food safety issues and that the two agencies should be given more power to order food recalls and close down firms with records of serial contamination violations.

The National Grange supports legislation to implement pathogen detection and reduction strategies based on sound science that targets micro bio-contamination by pathogens that may be harmful to consumers. Grangers urge Congress to fund the USDA to develop and implement educational programs relative to the safe handling of foods.

However, the National Grange opposes federal legislation that would presume that all food, including food produced for local market sale and consumption, should be treated as potentially hazardous and would require family farmers to produce and maintain onerous amounts of paperwork indicating what production inputs were purchased and when food produced on an individual farm will be consumed, in order to reach an unattainable goal of total traceability.

Additionally, the National Grange opposes federal legislation that would add an unnecessary layer of national bureaucratic paperwork to the business of producing food to meet local demand without demonstrating any commensurate food safety benefits to consumers, or cost reductions that benefit family farmers or their local customers.

Action Needed

Please email your U. S. Senator and urge them to oppose S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which causes undue burden to farmers and ranchers with onerous regulatory and record-keeping mandates, and although well-intentioned, misses their target of increasing food safety. The Food Safety Modernization Act is currently on the floor of the U.S. Senate and a vote on Final Passage in the Senate is scheduled for November 29, 2010. Please email your Senator today and let them know that food safety is important in rural America but this measure misses the target.

Sample E-Mail

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: gboatright@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

The U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee plans to hold a series of Farm Bill hearings over the next two weeks to begin the process of receiving testimony that will assist the committing in drafting legislative language for the 2012 Farm Bill.

Background

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson recently held a hearing to discuss U.S. agriculture policy in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The Farm Bill is major legislation that authorizes many government farm support, conservation, energy, trade, marketing, food assistance, and rural development programs over several years. The current farm bill, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, was signed into law in 2008, and many of the provisions in that bill will expire in September 2012.

“This hearing is the first step in the process of writing the next Farm Bill. A bill this large and that covers so many important issues takes a lot of time and effort to get it right, and I am committed to a process that is open, transparent, and bipartisan,” said Chairman Peterson. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and from all regions of the country to be sure that we put together a bill that supports the food, fiber, conservation, energy and rural development needs of this country.” The House Agriculture Committee is planning on four additional hearings to further discuss preliminary recommendations on the 2012 Farm Bill.

Grange Policy

At the 143rd Annual Convention of the National Grange, the grassroots Grange delegates adopted the following general policy statement regarding the importance of maintaining a strong and viable national farm and agriculture policy that specifically recognizes the needs of both consumers as well as family farmers and ranchers in the United States:

“The National Grange believes that policies that promote a viable family farm structure in America’s agricultural sector are in the best interests of all citizens. We reaffirm our support for farm commodity programs that serve the best interests of producers and consumers. The purpose of the Federal Farm Program is to ensure Americans an adequate supply of safe and wholesome food, provide some income protection to the food producers and protect our environment by providing incentives for soil and water conservation. The National Grange supports programs that will stimulate interest and appreciation for an expanding agriculture industry that provides an abundant supply of reasonably priced food and fiber to meet our domestic needs and still export the products of one out of every three acres into the world markets. The National Grange continues to strongly support family farms as an integral and important contributor to a stable agricultural production and rural communi­ties. We call upon the President and Congress to support programs and policies that will help sustain and enhance family farms – by increas­ing the net farm income, providing economic and tax incentives, and credit and/or tax credits for soil and water conservation – without escalating the advantages to non-farm investors. “

The U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee hearing schedule and locations are as follows:  

To view USDA Vilsack’s written testimony on the Committee website CLICK HERE. A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date. Live audio and video will be available at the start of the future farm bill hearings, and can be accessed at http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/audio.html.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org, or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, Ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

S. 2786, the Enhanced Restitution Enforcement and Equitable Retirement Treatment Act of 2009, will adversely affect crime victims, especially rural victims of crime, by diverting deposits into the Crime Victims Restitution Trust Fund away from payments for individual victims of Federal offenses who are entitled to receive restitution into a new, special retirement program exclusively for the benefit of Assistant United States Attorneys.

Background

While the National Grange greatly appreciates the work of Assistant United States Attorneys and the work they do which benefit victims of crime, the Grange is concerned that the approach proposed in S. 2786 will adversely affect crime victims generally through reduction in deposits into the Crime Victims Fund as well as individual victims of Federal offenses who are entitled to receive restitution. Specifically, the National Grange objects to the provisions in Title I, Section 101 of the legislation that would allocate 95 percent of any late fine payments to the Crime Victims Fund. The legislation also allows 95 percent of late restitution payments to go to the victim with the remaining 5 percent of each late payment going into the newly created Enhanced Financial Recovery Fund.

The National Grange is also concerned that unless each criminal debt is ultimately paid in full, the proposed collection scheme will result in a loss of funds that would otherwise go into the Crime Victims Fund and to victims of Federal offenses who are owed restitution. In effect, crime victims are being asked to help subsidize a fund whose ultimate purpose is to improve the retirement benefits of Assistant United States Attorneys.

Unlike previous versions of this legislation, the current bill does not seek to take half of the special assessments for the Enhanced Financial Recovery Fund. While increased special assessments might offset a portion of the amounts that would otherwise be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, it does not offset amounts that would have been paid to individual crime victims who are owed restitution. Assistant United States Attorneys are generally career government employees who are eligible for full Federal retirement, pension and matching retirement contributions, just as any other Federal employees. Creating a special supplemental retirement fund for Assistant United States Attorneys is not just unfair to victims of crime, it is unfair to other Federal employees who protect the public and address the concerns and needs of victims of crime. The National Grange believes the most equitable approach would be to require the payment in full of the entire criminal fine and/or restitution before any collected amounts are deposited into the Enhanced Financial Recovery Fund.

Grange Policy

Sentencing

The National Grange supports imposing stiff mandatory sentences in criminal cases. We believe using plea-bargaining should be restrained. We further believe that convicted criminals should be responsible for restitution to their victims and society.

Action Needed

Please e-mail your U.S. Senators urging them to amend S. 2786. Please feel free to cut and paste the following sample letter. If you do not know your Senators’ e-mail addresses please CLICK HERE to find them.

Sample E-Mail

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Molly Thompson at mthompson@nationalgrange.org or by calling 1-888-4GRANGE ext. 107.

Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

H.R. 3524, the Family Farm Preservation and Conservation Estate Tax Act, excludes farm assets from estate taxes for as long as the property remains as a family agricultural operation.

Background

For years the National Grange and other groups have shared with members of Congress stories of farmers, ranchers, and forest owners whose livelihood has been greatly impaired by the estate tax. Of all estate transitions, these landowners are up to 20 times more likely to owe the estate tax. Farm equity has more than doubled in recent years, primarily due to the increased value of farm real estate even though market value of land has little to do with agricultural production. As a result, National Grange believes it is essential that Congress correct the unique problems facing generational family farm estate transition.

H.R. 3524 would exclude farm assets from estate taxes for as long as the property remains as a family agricultural operation. The bill also would protect the environment by exempting properties that are protected by a qualified conservation easement. This would strengthen agriculture in the U.S. by providing certainty in estate planning for farmers, ranchers and forest owners who pass their operations to the next generation. These hardworking individuals would be saved from fragmenting their operations to pay the estate tax, especially during these tough economic times.

Grange Policy

Taxation and Transportation, Business, Investment, Capital Gains,
and Inheritance Taxation

8. The National Grange supports legislation abolishing the federal estate tax, especially for small business and agriculture as long as their ownership stays in the family and the farm stays in productive agriculture. We support retaining current provisions for a full stepped up basis on inheritances. Until the federal estate tax is repealed we favor using the current use value as the basis for the property for estate tax purposes. The National Grange further supports a personal exemption from federal estate taxes of five million dollars per person until the federal estate tax is repealed.

Action Needed

Please e-mail your U.S. Representative urging them to vote in favor of H.R. 3524. Please feel free to cut and paste the following sample letter. If you do not know your Representatives e-mail address, please CLICK HERE to find it.

Sample E-Mail

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Molly Thompson at mthompson@nationalgrange.org or by calling 1-888-4GRANGE ext. 107.

Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

Your opinion is requested in the matter of current and proposed legal mandates regarding food animal production practices, as they impact food animal producers of all sizes and their communities.

Background

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), a nonprofit organization composed of scientific societies and many individual, student, company, nonprofit, and associate society members is coordinating a Food Animal Agriculture Symposium, “Sustaining Animal Agriculture: Balancing Bioethical, Economic and Social Issues”, to be held June 8, 9, and 10 in Washington, DC. They have contacted the National Grange, asking our assistance explaining and distributing a survey to our members. Information gathered through this survey will be summarized and presented on the first day of this symposium. The purpose of the symposium is to explore the intended and unintended consequences of state ballot initiatives, and other legal mandates, regarding animal welfare issues. They will use the information you provide to evaluate how these mandates impact food animal producers of all sizes, their communities, animal welfare, the structure of agriculture, and our food security.

Action Needed

CAST is using a survey system called Surveymonkey to solicit information they would like to obtain for the symposium about the views of farmers and others about animal production practices. Surveymonkey is easy to use and all information will be confidential. The survey responses will only be summarized by state (not a lower level), and according to size and type of farm. If that information is not available then it will only be summarized by state. In no case will it be possible to identify a farm or stakeholder. Participation is strictly voluntary and confidential. However, your participation is greatly appreciated because it will allow a more accurate identification of the impact of intended and unintended consequences of various food animal production ballot, regulatory, and legislative initiatives in the United States. There are 15 multiple-choice questions. It takes only a few minutes to complete. Since your input is critical to this process, please take a few moments to complete the survey.

To participate in the CAST survey and be part of this important symposium please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2B2HKJ8, and provide your candid opinions on the topic of ballot initiatives and other legal mandates.

The symposium proceedings will include a summary of these results and will be available on USDA web sites and the CAST web site (http://www.cast-science.org).

f you have questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

The National Grange commends the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on their release of the National Broadband Plan. The Grange hopes that this plan will become the basis for a comprehensive public/private partnership that will finally assure that the benefits of broadband technology are available to every home, farm and small business in America, regardless of geographic location.

If you have questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.

National Grange Members have been selected to participate in a public opinion poll conducted by Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), a nonprofit organization composed of scientific societies and many individual, student, company, nonprofit, and associate society members, a non-partisan polling organization.

The poll addresses current and proposed legal mandates regarding food animal production practices, as they impact food animal producers of all sizes and their communities. Information gathered through this survey will be summarized and presented on the first day of the annual CAST symposium. This year’s theme is Sustaining Animal Agriculture: Balancing Bioethical Economic and Social Issues. The purpose of the symposium is to explore the intended and unintended consequences of state ballot initiatives, and other legal mandates, regarding animal welfare issues. The symposium proceedings will include a summary of these results and will be available on USDA web sites and the CAST web site www.cast-science.org.

It is short and should take you only 5-7 minutes to complete. All of your answers will be kept strictly confidential and will be used only for legitimate research purposes. The survey responses will only be summarized at the state level and according to size and type of farm. If that information is not available then it will only be summarized by state. In no case will it be possible to identify a farm or stakeholder. Participation is strictly voluntary and confidential.

This survey will allow a more accurate identification of the impact of intended and unintended consequences of various food animal production ballot, regulatory, and legislative initiatives in the United States.

To take the survey, click on this link: CAST SURVEY 

Questions or Comments? Contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107.