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March 15, 2016 The Honorable Pat Roberts Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 328A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Roberts, On behalf of the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, we want to thank you for your strong leadership aimed at enacting a national uniform solution on biotech labeling. We, the undersigned organizations, represent all segments of the U.S. food chain—producers, cooperatives, agribusinesses, processors, seed makers, handlers, food and feed manufacturers, lenders, and retailers. It is vitally important for the Senate to take expedited action in order to avoid the economic costs of a patchwork of state laws that will directly impact consumers, farmers, and the entire food value chain. Mr. Chairman, we strongly support your Substitute Amendment #3450, building on the Biotechnology Labeling Solutions Act, which was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee 14 – 6 on March 1st. The issue of biotech labeling is one of the most significant issues that the agriculture and food industry has faced in recent years. The U.S. agriculture and food industry creates over 17 million jobs, representing nearly 10% of all U.S. employment and creating 5% of U.S. economic activity. This very system—which produces the most abundant, the highest quality, and the most affordable food supply in the world—will be threatened with large economic costs without a national uniform solution to the biotech labeling issue. The application of biotechnology to agricultural production has led to increased crop yields, decreased use of pesticides, and lower food costs for consumers. Congress must ensure we avoid senseless mandates that will thwart agricultural advancement and hurt consumers—especially those low income Americans who can least afford to pay more to feed their families. Last fall, you chaired an extensive hearing on biotech and biotech labeling. Witnesses from the three government agencies that have principal oversight of biotech approvals—the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—all reaffirmed their long standing recognition of the safety of the technology. There was also broad discussion at the hearing about the need for a national uniform solution and that any solution should not stigmatize this important tool for our nation’s farmers. Mandatory on-pack labeling of foods produced using biotechnology would mislead consumers and drive up their grocery bills. Mr. Chairman, again we thank you and other Members of the Committee for the strong leadership that you are providing on this issue. We also thank you for your recognition of the deep sense of urgency to address this patchwork of state laws that threatens the U.S. agriculture and food industry. We stand ready to work with you and other Members of the Senate to ensure there is expedited Senate floor action on this important legislation. Sincerely, American Fruit and Vegetable Processors and AACC International Growers Coalition Abbott American Phytopathological Society AC Legg Inc. American Seed Trade Association ACME American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists Adisseo American Soybean Association Adrien's Supermarket, Inc. American Sugarbeet Growers Association AEQUOR, Inc. Amigos Ag Partners Amplify Snack Brands Ag Plus Anderson Erickson Dairy Company Ag Processing Inc Apple Processors Association AgFirst Farm Credit Bank AquaBounty Technologies AgriBank, FCB Archer Daniels Midland Company Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona Arizona Beverage Association Agribusiness Association of Iowa Arizona BioIndustry Association (AZBio) Agribusiness Association of Kentucky Arizona Crop Protection Association Agribusiness Council of Indiana Arizona Farm Bureau Federation Agricultural Cooperative Council of Oregon Arizona Food Marketing Alliance Agricultural Council of California Arizona Pork Council Agricultural Retailers Association Arkansas Beverage Association Agri-Mark, Inc. Arkansas Farm Bureau Agrivida, Inc. Arkansas Soybean Association Agropur Inc. Asenzya Ahold USA Associated Industries of Massachusetts Alabama Agribusiness Council Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) Alabama Council of Cooperatives Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Inc. Aurora Cooperative Alabama Farmers Federation B & K Enterprises, Inc. Alabama Grocers Association Baesler’s Market Alabama Soybean and Corn Association Baptista's Bakery Alaska Farm Bureau Barrel O’Fun Snack Foods Co. Albertsons Companies BASF Corporation Allied Energy Bayer Amalgamated Sugar Company BDS Natural Products American AgCredit Beet Sugar Development Foundation American Agri-Women Bel Brands USA American Bakers Association Belgrade Co-op American Beverage Association Berg+Schmidt America LLC American Crystal Sugar Company Berry, Joe, Inc. American Dairy Coalition Better Made Snack Foods American Farm Bureau Federation Beverage Association of Tennessee American Feed Industry Association Beverage Association of Vermont American Frozen Food Institute BFL-MGMT, Inc. Big Horn Basin Beet Growers Big Horn County Sugar Beet Growers Central Markets, Inc. dba Fricks Market Bill Barr & Co. Central Valley Cooperative Bill's Forest City Super Market, Inc. Ceres Solutions, LLP Bimbo Bakeries USA Charlie's Quik Chek, Inc. Bio Nebraska Life Sciences Association Cheeze Kurls Inc. BIOCOM CHS Inc. BioKansas Co-Alliance LLP BioNJ CoBank BioOhio Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated Bioscience Association of North Dakota Collins Grocery Company, Inc. BioSTL Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry Biotechnology Innovation Organization Colorado Association of Distributors BioZyme Incorporated Colorado Association of Wheat Growers Bob Bay and Son Co. Colorado Beverage Association Bob's Super-Saver, Inc. Colorado BioScience Association Bongards’ Creameries Colorado Cooperative Council Brookshire Grocery Colorado Corn Growers Association Bryce Corporation Colorado Farm Bureau Bunge North America Colorado Potato Administrative Committee Buy Rite Partners, Inc. Colorado Sugarbeet Growers C & J Management Services, Inc. Community Grocers, Inc. C&S Wholesale Grocers Conagra Foods, Inc. Calcot, Ltd. Connecticut Business & Industry Association California Alfalfa and Forage Association Connecticut Farm Bureau Association California Association of Wheat Growers Connecticut Food Association California Beet Growers Connecticut United for Research Excellence California Canning Peach Association (CURE) California Farm Bureau Consumers Co-op California Grain and Feed Association Coop Country Farmers Elevator California League of Food Processors Cooperative Council of North Carolina California Life Sciences Association Cooperative Credit Company California Retailers Association. Cooperative Elevator Co. California Seed Association Cooperative Farmer’s Elevator of Rock Valley, IA California Tomato Growers Association, Inc. Cooperative Farmers California-Nevada Beverage Association Cooperative Milk Producers Association Inc. Can Manufacturers Institute Cooperative Network Canned Food Alliance Corn Producers Association of Texas Cargill Inc. Corn Refiners Association Carolina Ingredients Cortland Bulk Milk Producers Cooperative Carolinas Cotton Growers Cooperative, Inc. Cosentino Enterprises, Inc. Carolinas Food Industry Council Council for Responsible Nutrition Carpe Deum LLC Country Boy Mr. 'D' Corp. Carrs Crest Discount Foods, Inc. Cass-Clay Creamery CropLife Castle Retail Group, LLC Crystal Creamery Caudill Seed Company Custom Culinary® Central Grocers, Inc DairiConcepts, L.P. Central Lakes Co-op Dairy Business Milk Marketing Cooperative Dairy Farmers of America Food City Stores Dairymen's Marketing Cooperative, Inc. Food Industry Alliance of New York Dave's Food Center, Inc. Food Marketing Institute Dean Foods Food Producers of Idaho Del Monte Foods, Inc Foremost Farms USA Delaware Farm Bureau F'Real Foods, LLC Delaware Food Industry Council Frontier Farm Credit Delaware Restaurant Association Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association of Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Delaware DelawareBio Full Circle Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association Furmano’s Delhaize America General Mills Delmarva Poultry Industry Georgia Agribusiness Council Dendy Foods, Inc. Georgia Farm Bureau Diamond Pet Food Company Georgia Food Industry Association Diamond V GeorgiaBev Doc's Food Stores, Inc. Georgia-Florida Soybean Association Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Giant Eagle Dorothy Lane Market, Inc. Giant Food Dow AgroSciences Giant of Maryland LLC Dr Pepper Snapple Group Giant Stores DSM North America Glacial Plains Cooperative DuPont Global Cold Chain Alliance Dyer Foods, Inc. Global Harvest Initiative ELAS, Inc. Golden Flake Snack Foods Elite Spice Golden State Farm Credit, ACA Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Goode Foods, L.L.C. Elwyhee Beet Growers Grain and Feed Association of Illinois Empire State Potato Growers Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association Griffith Food Inc. Farm Credit Bank of Texas Gro Alliance, LLC Farm Credit of Enid Gro Co #1, Inc. Farm Credit of New Mexico, ACA Grocery Manufacturers Association Farm Credit Services of America GROWMARK, Inc. Farm Credit West HAC, Inc. Farmers Cooperative Company Harp's Food Stores, Inc. Farmers Cooperative Compress Harvest Land Co-op Farmers’ Cooperative Creamery Harvey County Farm Bureau FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative Hawaii Crop Improvement Association First District Association Hawaii Farm Bureau Five Star
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