Comment on FR Doc # E9-17812

The Capuchin Province of St. Joseph supports the efforts of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition to ensure that the new Commodity Stewardship Program (CSP) will fairly provide payments to farmers for maintaining existing and adopting new conservation practices. Specifically, we ask that the rules adopted for the CSP include the following elements: •Farmers and ranchers applying to participate in CSP will be ranked and paid based on environmental outcomes. •The entire acreage designated by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill for the CSP will be committed to the program over the life of the Farm Bill. •Resource-conserving crop rotations and management-intensive rotational grazing will be given strong support. •Organic crop and livestock systems will be recognized for their multiple environmental benefits. •Biodiversity and fish, wildlife, pollinator, and beneficial insect habitat will be specifically added as a priority resource concern to be addressed by CSP. The CSP and these elements are consistent with our Province's mission and charism to promote justice for all creation. Our friars and partners in ministry operate several meal programs and food pantries in Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit. In addition to making sure that people can get the food they need for themselves and their families, we are also interested in ensuring that our food systems are sustainable, optimize nutrition, and respect the environment. Thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments.