A bill that needs defeating in the AL State House (SB61)

[jaybird]

This bill, SB61, couldn't have a more American-sounding name.  But, it does exactly the OPPOSITE!  It has been defeated 8 times in the past, so let's make it 9. 
Read on.......
=========================================================================================

Urgent!  Please act quickly and help us obtain a public hearing for consideration of SB61, "Alabama Family Farm Preservation Act"

The issue:  After previously introducing very similar legislation eight times (over nine years) and being defeated each time by Conservation Alabama, the Sierra Club,  and several other groups, ALFA has made significant changes to their "Family Farm Preservation Act."  However,  the essence of this bill remains.  SB61 would still make corporate hog farms immune from legitimate legal action by citizens - especially when those citizens are plagued with the nuisance of the stench of thousands of hogs, the large black flies they attract, the degradation of water quality, and the overall decreased quality of life in rural Alabama.  For each of the eight times such a bill was considered, a public hearing was held.  Given there have been important changes in the bill, it is critical that the public have an opportunity to express their concerns to the Alabama Senate's Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee.  Apparently, the committee is poised to vote on this revised legislation without giving the public an opportunity to speak about the bill.

Action necessary:  We need a public hearing on SB61 sponsored by Alabama State Senator Kim Benefield, Chair, Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee, Alabama State Senate.

How to obtain this public hearing:  Contact Senator Benefield and request that she, as committee chair, schedule a public hearing prior to a vote on SB61 by the committee.

When to act:  Now!  But certainly not later than 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 19, 2010.  (The committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, January 20.)

Senator Benefield's contact information:

Email address:   kbenefield@acs-isp.com
Office telephone in the Ala. State Senate in Montgomery:   334-242-7874
Office fax number in Montgomery:   334-353-8277
Home fax number in Woodland, Ala. is:  256-449-6128

If you want to read the nine pages of SB61, visit:    http://alisondb.legislatu...amp;DOCNAMES=SB61-int.pdf,,

Many thanks for your help.
David Newton
Chair, State Government Committee
Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club
and
Vice President, Board of Directors
Conservation Alabama
129 Carter St.
Auburn, AL 36830-6320
(H) 334-821-9817

[SmokeDiver]

Good old industrial farming, keeping our food cheap, our bellies obese and our land polluted. One out of three ain't bad right?

[jaybird]

UPDATE:

Our request was granted, and the hearing was held yesterday morning in the Alabama State House in Montgomery.  (Recall we first learned of SB61 on Friday, and we had to scramble to organize some opposition for yesterday's hearing.  Conservation Alabama was very instrumental in getting this done.)

Several of the good people from the Sand Mountain area again provided comments to the legislative committee.  I delivered a printed statement (cover letter and fact sheet  w/ references).  All of us stressed our concern about HOG CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations).  We did not express opposition to other types of farming operations.

The committee did not vote on the bill yesterday, but are expected to do so "at a later time."

From the website of the Alabama Legislature, here are the members of the senate committee w/ telephone numbers at the Alabama State House:

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
Benefield, Chairperson -- 334-242-7874

Means, Vice Chairperson -- 334-242-7857

Bedford -- 334-242-7862

Butler -- 334-242-7854

Erwin -- 334-242-7873

Keahey -- 334-242-7843

Mitchem -- 334-242-7876

Penn -- 334-242-7868

Singleton -- 334-242-7935

Smith -- 334-242-7879

Little (Z), Majority Leader -- 334-242-7855

Glover, Minority Leader Designee -- 334-242-7886

Additional contact information is available through the roster of the Alabama Senate at:

http://www.legislature.st...s/senateroster_alpha.html

It would be very helpful to once again let these senators know of our opposition to hog factories.  Of course, we must act quickly.  As you know, it would be especially important for senators to be contacted by their constituents.

Many thanks for your interest and support.

David Newton, Chair
State Government Committee
Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club
129 Carter St.
Auburn, AL 36830-6320
(H) 334-821-9817