IATP Press Release
September 1, 2000
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Niel Ritchie, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 612-870-3405
Institute Sets Up Farm Crisis Campaign Center
to Support Rural Renewal Petition Campaign
WWW.FARMCRISIS.ORG Pushes for Fair Prices, Fair Wages, and Fair
Trade
Minneapolis – The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) announced today the
launch of a Farm Crisis Campaign Center (FCCC), which will include a web site
(www.farmcrisis.org) where people can find background information and support a state-wide
petition campaign that asks federal candidates to change current farm policy.
IATP President Mark Ritchie spoke at a press conference today at the Minnesota State Fair
about the petition campaign along with representatives from the Minnesota Farmers Union
and Senator Paul Wellstone. IATP will be working on the campaign along with Minnesota
Farmers Union, Minnesota AFL-CIO, Minnesota Catholic Conference and the Land
Stewardship Project among others.
The webpage for the FCCC (www.farmcrisis.org) was launched at the Minnesota State Fair at
a kiosk in the Minnesota Farmers Union booth, where visitors can electronically retrieve
information and send letters directly to candidates running in Minnesota.
The petition, which can be found at www.farmcrisis.org, asks federal candidates to pledge
they will:
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Change current US farm policy so that family farmers can earn a fair price from the
marketplace;
Strengthen antitrust laws and enforce them to the fullest extent; and
Implement trade policies that put people first.
“The FCCC will serve as a repository for information, local and national expertise, and
opportunities for action over the next year and a half while Congress formulates the next Farm
Bill,” said IATP President Mark Ritchie. “The last Farm Bill, dubbed ‘Freedom to Farm,’ has
failed on many fronts, leaving farmers with record low prices and huge government bailouts
each of the last four years.”
In the coming year, the FCCC will provide detailed background information relevant to the
next farm bill including: strategies to give farmers a better price; the rapid concentration of
agribusiness sectors; and fair trade policies that benefit would farmers.
Discussions are underway to expand the petition signing campaign to other Midwestern states
and to the national level at next month’s Farm Aid concert, to be held outside of Washington,
D.C.
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy promotes resilient family farms, rural
communities and ecosystems around the world through research and education, science and
technology, and advocacy.