|
September 6, 2005
RE: Privatization of Export Grain Inspections Contained in the Reauthorization of the U.S. Grain Standards Act
Dear Members of Congress:
The organizations signing this communication seek to bring your attention to an ill-advised legislative initiative embedded into the reauthorization of the U.S. Grain Standards Act (H.R. 3421 and S. 1582) to privatize the inspection of our grain exports. We represent the nation’s farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, federal professionals, rural communities and export customers.
The export of Agricultural products from the United States forms the cornerstone of America’s success in the global export market. Our American Agricultural community functions as a successful and respected world entity, through the brilliance of their production and marketing ingenuity, unwavering persistence, and a constant eye toward the future of world Agricultural conditions and needs. The Federal Grain Inspection Service, with its 30 year history of cutting-edge inspection success and the guarantee of impartial and honest trading, is the vehicle that delivers our Agricultural products to the world.
In implementing this partnership of farmer/producer, a superior product, and the backing of impartial Federal inspection guarantees, the United States stands alone as a true and trusted leader in World Agriculture.
Continued viability and profitability for our Agricultural producers, over the long-term, is essential to the economic health of our country. Our quest for improved efficiencies and profit realization must be carefully balanced with the protection of our standing as an honest and trusted trading partner. It has taken us many years to build our market share and our solid reputation in the eyes of the world: to undermine or destroy any portion of what we’ve achieved will damage our farmers and producers for many years to come.
Privatization of the Federal Grain Inspection Service disables one of the most essential of our global marketing tools – the guarantee of impartial and honest, Government-backed trading. World buyers demand this promise with their purchase of American Agriculture. The proposed issuance of rubber-stamped traditional USDA certificates for inspections actually completed by industry-paid private inspectors will strike at the heart of the world’s definition of integrity and honest trading practices. No one appreciates the trickery of bait and switch, and in global trade, this dishonor will erase 30 years of solid market building, hard-earned trust and respect that now defines our marketing success.
Privatization offers no plans to save our market share, no contingency plan to salvage American Agriculture from the privatization failure, and only vague and unproven suppositions about cost savings. The risk that privatization poses for our farmers and producers is not a wise or justifiable decision when the potential for long-term damage is given serious consideration.
We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to oppose and strike Section 2 of H.R. 3421 and S. 1582 which expands the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to authorize a person or private entity to perform official inspections of our grain exports.
Sincerely,
Here is the list of organization signed onto the letter opposing grain inspection privatization as of tonight.
- ADM Milling, Brentwood, Essex - England
- AFGE National Council of Federal Grain Inspections Locals
- Agro Consulting and Trading, The Netherlands
- AFL-CIO
- American Agriculture Movement
- American Corn Growers Association
- American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
- American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO
- Belgische Maalderij MI.I N.V. (Belgium Milling Association), Antwerp, Belgium
- California Farmers Union
- Community Farm Alliance
- Edmonds Institute
- European Flour Millers Association
- Family Farm Defenders
- Florent de Moor , Wommelgem, Belgium
- Grain Inspectors Local 3157 New Orleans, La.
- Grain Inspectors Local 3769, League City, Texas
- Grain Inspectors Local 3781, Portland, Oregon
- Guthrie-Hubner, Inc., Duluth, Minnesota
- Heygates Limited/Bugbrooke Mills-Northhampton, England
- Melio Flour Mills, Raisio, Finland
- Michigan Farmers Union
- Milford Grain LTD, Liverpool, England
- Mostert Oilseeds, The Netherlands
- National Family Farm Coalition
- National Farmers Organization
- National Farmers Union
- National Grange
- National Treasury Employees Union
- Nebraska Farmers Union
- Nordmills A.B., Malmoe, Sweden
- Organization for Competitive Markets
- Pennsylvania Farmers Union
- R & S Commodities, Barendrecht, The Netherlands
- Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
- Raisio Nutrition Ltd.,Raisio, Finland
- Soybean Producers of America
- Unikorn (Norwegian Grain), Norway
- V & V Commodities, Barendrecht, The Netherlands
|
