Sign the "Strengthen Rural America" Petition

I encourage all readers who care about the future of Nebraska's rural communities to sign this petition being assembled by the Center for Rural Affairs. In anticipation of the 2007 Farm Bill, the petition encourges Congress to:

*Provide loans, technical assistance, and business training to help rural business thrive and enable rural people to start new businesses.

*Provide incentives to sell land to beginning farmers and support initiatives to link beginners with retiring farmers and provide training on alternative markets.

*Provide grants to communities to nurture small business, develop new leaders, and engage youth and foster local philanthropy to support community development.

*Beef up the Value Added Producers Grants program to help farmers tap higher value markets and add value to their products. Prioritize family size farms.

*Invest in conservation of land and water and reward farmers and ranchers for good stewardship.

Most importantly, the petition asserts:

We do not have to choose between family farms and rural development. The single most effective thing the farm bill could do to strengthen family farms is to stop subsidizing mega farms...by capping payments.

The CFRA hopes to gather 10,000 signatures to present to members of Congress by August 2006. Right now, they are short of 500 and need your help spreading the word to friends, family, and fellow Nebraskans who recognize how important the next farm bill will be to the future of our state.