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Land Stewardship Project Action Alert
Action Needed to Stop Dramatic Cuts to State Sustainable & Organic Agriculture Programs

4/27/09

The Minnesota Legislative conference committee for the Omnibus Agricultural Finance Bill was recently appointed and will meet initially this Wednesday (4/29). This bill funds the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), including the Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program (ESAP) and the Organic Cost Share program. This conference committee will reconcile the difference between Senate and House recommendations for funding. Below are the House, Senate and Governor's recommendations:

• Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program (Currently funded at $160,000/year); House proposal $100,000/year (38% cut) ; Senate $60,000 (63% cut); Governor $60,000 (63% cut).
• Organic Cost Share Program (Currently funded at $100,000/ year); House proposal $10,000/year (90% cut); Senate $100,000 (no cut); Governor $100,000 (no cut).

These programs deliver the two-fold benefit of creating economic opportunity for farmers and increasing environmental stewardship of farmland. Despite that they are threatened with drastic cuts.

Here is a suggested message: "I am calling you about the Omnibus Ag Finance bill. Sustainable and organic agriculture are critical for our environment, especially as we struggle with the issue of global warming. In addition, these types of production systems provide economic opportunity for farmers -- especially beginning farmers. Despite that, these programs have long been underfunded. I urge you to support funding for two key programs at levels that will keep them most effective. The Senate and Governor propose funding the Organic Cost Share at $100,000 per year. The House proposes funding the Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Program at $100,000 per year. I urge you to support these levels of funding."

If you are a farmer, make sure to identity yourself as one when you call.

CALL TODAY! Key members of the Omnibus Agricultural Finance Conference Committee to call:

• Sen. Jim Vickerman at 651-296-5650
• Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes at 651-296-5649
• Sen. Dan Skogen at 651-296-5655
• Rep. Al Juhnke at 651-296-6206
• Rep. Kent Eken at 651-296-9918
• Rep. Tim Faust at 651-296-0518

If you have time, call the remaining members: Sen. Lisa Fobbe at 651-296-8075, Sen. Steve Dille at 651-296-4131, Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba at 651-296-3201, Rep. Ron Shimanski at 651-296-1534.

More Details:

The Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program (ESAP): This program provides grants for sustainable and organic farmers to conduct on-farm demonstration projects and research. The results are then published annually in the Greenbook. This program creates innovative farmer-driven solutions and facilitates farmer-to-farmer education. Thanks are owed to Rep. Andrew Falk, who was able to get the funding raised from a proposed $60,000 to $100,000 in the House bill. More information about ESAP here: www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/grants/demogrant.htm

Organic Cost Share Program. This program provides cost-share funds of up to $500 a year towards the cost of organic certification. It also funds organic work at the MDA, including the very successful State Organic Conference. More information about MDA’s organic work is online at www.mda.state.mn.us/food/organic/production.htm

Senate File 1779 Senate Agricultural Omnibus Finance Bill: www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php

House File 1122 House Agricultural Omnibus Finance Bill: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getbill.phpnumber=HF1122&session=ls86&version=list&session_number=0&session_year=0

Look for an action alert later this week on increasing funding for sustainable and organic work at the University of Minnesota and protecting local control.

For more information, contact LSP's Bobby King at 612-722-6377 or bking[a]landstewardshipproject.org.

Help Stop Trader Joe's From Encroaching on the Wedge Co-op!

Minneapolis City Council Member Robert Lilligren confirmed that "there is a proposed mixed-use development at 2309 Lyndale Avenue. The first floor anchor tenant would be Trader Joe's." That location is a half block south of the Wedge Co-op (in the Le Parisien apartments).

The Wedge relishes good competition, but in this case, they'll be at a huge disadvantage. In order to open this store, Trader Joe's wants a variance in the state liquor licensing law that would allow them to sell beer and wine. None of the local groceries in the area (Lund's, Kowalski's, the co-ops) can sell spirits, but the City Council thinks its a good idea to let national chain Trader Joe's sell cheap Three Buck Chuck on the Wedge's doorstep.

It isn't fair.

We Need Your Help

This variance is probably going to get rammed through quickly. There's a City Council Meeting this Friday, April 10, at 9:30 a.m. Most likely, it will pass and go to the State Legislature for approval -- according to our Councilman Robert Lilligren, who supports giving unfair advantages to Trader Joe's over dynamic, local businesses.

Please call your council member AS SOON as you get this email! Their contact information is below.

Please forward this email to any contacts who may be willing to act on behalf of fairness to local businesses.

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What to Say or Write
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If you call, please ask to speak to the Council Person, and if they're not available, ask to leave a message with a staff person.

Consider saying the following:

"I think it's unfair that Trader Joe's could be issued a state liquor license variance, when local groceries are banned from selling beer and wine. Please do not support issuing a variance to Trader Joe's."

You could also make some of the following points:

* Changing the rules to favor Trader Joe's, an international company, makes me question the city's dedication to independent and local businesses.

* A store of Trader Joe's size will have a huge impact on south Minneapolis. Local liquor stores, local grocery chains, and independent stores like the Wedge Co-op will all take a hit from allowing Trade Joe's to sell wine and beer.

* Please show your support for local businesses over giant, international companies. Trader Joe's is owned by the same German company that owns and operates Aldi's, the "German Wal-Mart."

* If the Wedge and other co-ops are negatively impacted by a giant conglomerate, local vendors will be hit, too. Trader Joe's simply can't support Peace Coffee, Sno-Pac, Ames Farm, Sweet Cheeks Baby Food, Mischief Maker Chai, Beeler's Pork, Larry Schultz's eggs, or any local cheeses or vegetable and fruit farmers the way local groceries do.

* Trader Joe's will permanently change the local flavor of this area. The Wedge and Whittier neighborhoods are largely free of big chains and this will open the door for more chains to come in.

* A store this size will compound the already terrible traffic issues here. People won't even want to come to the Lyndale/Franklin area because of the added congestion. Biking will become even more difficult than it already is.

Emails can be created from the above talking points, too. Such as:

Dear [NAME],

I'm writing because I think it's unfair that Trader Joe's could be issued a liquor license variance, when local groceries are banned from selling beer and wine. Please do not support issuing a variance to Trader Joe's.

Please show your support for local businesses over giant, international companies. Trader Joe's is owned by the same German company that owns and operates Aldi's, the "German Wal-Mart." If the Wedge and other co-ops are negatively impacted by a giant conglomerate on their doorsteps, local vendors will be hit, too. Trader Joe's simply can't support Peace Coffee, Sno-Pac, Ames Farm, Sweet Cheeks Baby Food, Mischief Maker Chai, Beeler's Pork, Larry Schultz's eggs, or any local cheeses or vegetable and fruit farmers the way local groceries do.

Thank you for your attention, and I hope I can count on you to vote against issuing a liquor license variance to Trader Joe's.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

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Contact Information for City Council Members
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Find out who your Minneapolis Council Person is here:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/

*City Council Members and Contact Info*

*Paul Ostrow, Ward 1*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Phone: (612) 673-2201
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Paul.Ostrow@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

*Cam Gordon Ward 2*
Phone: (612) 673-2202
Cell: (612) 296-0579
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Cam.Gordon@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

*Diane Hofstede Ward 3*
Phone: (612) 673-2203
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Ward 3 Email Form

*Barbara Johnson Ward 4*
Council President
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Phone: (612) 673-2204
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Contact Form

*Don Samuels - Ward 5*
Phone: (612) 673-2205
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Don.Samuels@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

*Robert Lilligren - Ward 6*
Council Vice President
Phone: (612) 673-2206
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Robert.Lilligren@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

*Lisa Goodman Ward 7*
Phone: (612) 673-2207
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Lisa Goodman's Email Form

*Elizabeth Glidden Ward 8*
Phone: (612) 673-2208
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Elizabeth.Glidden@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

*Gary Schiff - Ward 9*
Phone: (612) 673-2209
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Contact Form

*Ralph Remington Ward 10*
Phone: (612) 673-2210
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Ralph.Remington@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

*Scott Benson Ward 11*
Phone: (612) 673-2211
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Scott Benson's Email Form

*Sandy Colvin Roy - Ward 12*
Phone:(612) 673-2212
Fax:(612) 673-3940
E-mail: Sandy Colvin Roy's Email Form

*Betsy Hodges - Ward 13*
Phone: (612) 673-2213
Fax: (612) 673-3940
E-mail: Ward 13 Email Form

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