PLEASE CALL THE GOVERNOR and ask him to SIGN THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT!!!
The Farmer Protection Act passed in the Senate today with a vote of 19-8. This was the bill's final hurdle before going the Governor's desk, and now WE NEED YOU to make the call to the Governor asking him to sign the bill. Once the bill arrives on Governor Douglas' desk, he has five calendar days (not including Sunday) to decide -- he can sign the bill, veto the bill, or do nothing. If he does nothing, then the bill becomes law!
If you can only make one call this year, please make this one! As Senator John Campbell said today on the floor of the Senate...this is landmark legislation, not only for our state, but for the world. It will put farmers on a level playing field with big biotech corporations.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THIS BILL. Right after the Senate vote, Governor Douglas was asked his position on the bill. At first, he said he did not support the bill; however, when asked by a reporter whether he would allow the bill to become law, he said that he was reading the language carefully, and meeting with his staff. After the governor left, one of his staff members was pressed hard by the press corps, with them asking repeatedly whether the governor would veto the bill, and the staff member would not answer - this means we still have a chance!
Remember HOPE IS WHAT CHANGES THE WORLD. Pour all of your hope toward the Governor, and encourage him to sign this bill for Vermont's family farmers!
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK TO HELP THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT BECOME LAW IN VERMONT:
1) CALL THE GOVERNOR. Please call the Governor Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday at 802-828-3333 and ask him to SIGN S.18, THE FARMER PROTECTION ACT. If you have to leave a message, leave your name, town, and phone number, as well as your message to sign the bill. If you get a busy signal, or can't get through - KEEP TRYING! It's a great sign if the phone is busy - that means other people are calling, but we need every call we can get!
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL THE GOVERNOR. CALLS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
2) WRITE THANK YOU NOTES. Please write *HAND WRITTEN* thank you notes to your Senator(s) who voted yes (see list below). These thank you notes are very important, so please do not skip this step. Please also write a special Thank You to Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie. Mr. Dubie had to rule on a point of order raised by Senator Wendy Wilton, who claimed that the conference committee report violated Mason's Rules. Mr. Dubie could have stopped the vote on the bill, but he ruled the Senator's concern out of order and allowed the vote to go forward. He noted that "We will be dealing with this issue for the next 20 or 30 years," and that we should address the issue now.
You can address your Thank You's to:
Senator _______ (for Lt. Gov. Dubie, address as "Lt. Governor Brian Dubie")
Vermont Statehouse
State Street
Montpelier, VT 05633
Senators who voted yes:
Ayer of Addison
Campbell of Windsor
Condos of Chittenden
Cummings of Washington
Doyle of Washington
Dunen of Windsor
Giard of Addison
Illuzzi of Essex-Orleans
Kitchel of Caldonia
Leddy of Chittenden
Lyons of Chittenden
MacDonald of Orange
Miller of Chittenden
Scott of Washington
Sears of Bennington
Snelling of Chittenden
Starr of Essex-Orleans
Welch of Windsor
White of Windham
(Senators Bartlett, Flanagan, and Gander were absent)