March 12, 2002
The Honorable Larry Combest
Chair, U.S. House Agriculture Committee
1025 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Combest:
When the House and Senate meet this week in conference to iron out the respective differences between the House and Senate Farm Bills, we strongly urge you to include language in support of animal health. Specifically, language contained in the Senate Bill (SB 1482), the Animal Health Protection Act.
Last year, the member of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), voted in a special meeting held in Chicago, Illinois to support the Animal Health Protection Act. The language contained in the Senate bill is the culmination of two years of work among states, private, and individual stakeholder across the country to ensure animal health. The Senate language would modernize and update USDA authority to prevent the introduction of serious animal diseases and threat to animal health in the United States. Also, it is important that the language not only be incorporated into the Farm Bill, but that the language remains intact. Any alteration to the language may seriously effect the compromise package that is now contained in the Senate Farm Bill.
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of public officials comprised of the Commissioners, Secretaries, and Directors of the fifty state departments of agriculture and those from the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. Our mission is to represent the state departments of agriculture in the development, implementation, and communication of sound public policy and programs which support and promote the American agriculture industry, while protecting consumers and the environment.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact NASDA staff at 202-296-9680. Again, thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
<signed>
Billy Ray Smith
President National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Agriculture