Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning - CAAFB

Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning - CAAFB Our vision is to live in a world free of Agricultural field burning

07/27/2023

Good Morning fellow CAAFB members, I would like to start out by saying CAAFB is not officially associated with some or all who signed/supported this effort, with that being said, this is an email and letter from the Lobbying Group No Big Sugar, we coordinate only as a support system for ideas and strategies. This week they were at the US Capital to discuss the issue of burning and alternatives to replace it with, at the Federal Government level, We, CAAFB did sign on and supported this efforts, Thanks for your continued support.

No Big Sugar

Dear John,

We brought our call for sugar reform and an end to cane-burning to the US Capitol this week, meeting with more than a dozen members of the House and Senate and their staffs, on both sides of the aisle.

The meetings were highly productive. Our basic goal was educational. Most legislators had never heard a case for sugar reform on the basis of social justice, the environment, or human rights. That's all changing—right now. We are reshaping how America's legislative leaders view the sugar industry and laying the groundwork for change.

In each meeting, we hand delivered this letter, which asks the leaders of the House and Senate agriculture committees to use the conservation title of the farm bill to end sugarcane burning. The letter is signed by the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Black Lives Matter—Muck City, Patagonia, Dominicans for Justice and Peace, the Franciscan Action Network, Friends of the Earth and many more. This is a sugar reform coalition of unprecedented diversity and power.

Our work continues, with more urgency and optimism than ever. Without your support, none of this is possible. Thanks for all that you've done. Please continue to support our efforts. And don't hesitate to reach out with ideas and questions.

This is the letter:


06/15/2023

Wanted to summarize our board members for you guys

Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning Board Members

John Achee Jr: President and Founder - CAAFB
President and Founder - The Johnny Achee
And Erin LaPoint Foundation
20 years in management
Community Organizer and Advocate of the people
Lost my father in 7 vehicle pile-up due to low visibility from agricultural field burning

Honorary Board Member
Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore’/Retired
Served 37 years in the U.S. Army
Served as the 33rd commanding general of the
U.S. First Army at Fort Gillem, Georgia
Served as commander of Joint Task Force Katrina
General Honore also is the organizer of the GreenARMY
National Personality/Fights for clean air and water

CAAFB Board Members

Mary Jo Allen: Retired Science Educator with
20+ years of service specializing in Ecosystems and Microbiology

Vickie Boothe: Retired Environmental Engineer and Epidemiologist
33 years experience working at the EPA and CDC
Ms. Boothe has served on multiple expert panels convened by the EPA, CDC, National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics - Advisory Committee to the HHS Secretary, Baylor’s School of Medicine, and Rice University

Mark Hodges: Retired Environmental Engineer
Mark has over 40 years of Worldwide experience in development, management, production and review of Environmental Assessments (EA) as well as substantially more detailed Preliminary and Final Environmental Social and Health Impact Assessments (ESHIA)
Mark is also the Managing Director of Environmental Forward Observer, LLC

Barry Cantin: Principal Engineer Cryogenic and Pneumatic Fluids Systems
Mr. Cantin worked for Lockheed Martin for 22 years as a Propulsion Analysis Engineer on NASA’s Shuttle Program

David Levy: Petroleum and Mechanical Engineer
Mr. Levy is the owner of Petrotechnologies, Inc. His business is in the oilfield has been in operation for 23 years and he has over 10 oilfield patents. Mr. Levy is also an instrument rated private pilot and an avid aviator and owns his own plane.

Chelsea LaPoint: Widow of Erin LaPoint, killed in 6 vehicle pile-up due to low visibility from agricultural field burning (thick smoke on roadway)Proud mother of 2 beautiful children.

06/09/2023

An article will come out in the next week or so but I will give you all the just of it. CAAFB met with Commissioner Mike Strain to discuss the resolution to form a task force to study and evaluate agricultural burning, it’s effects on public health and alternatives. At that meeting Strain looked us in the eye and gave us his word that he would work with us on this. Advocate article(the commissioner said. He plans to work closely with Amedee, Achee and the task force to find solutions that are beneficial to everyone.” Where I grew up your word is your bond, we are extremely disappointed that the Commissioner chose to go against his word and oppose a simple study resolution. When I asked him why he was opposing it, he said and I quote “there is too much inflammatory language in the resolution” and I said it’s just facts and studies, his response “it opens everyone up to liability”, so you see folks, they don’t care about public health and safety, they only care about profit and liability. Commissioner Strain is up for reelection if he so chooses, CAAFB will actively oppose his reelection and support a candidate that actually cares about the health and safety of Louisiana residents. We believe in term limits, he has been in there for 15 years and it’s time for a change, time for new ideas and new perspectives.

Another tidbit about how all this all went down. When I went to the capital after the resolution failed, I saw Representative Dustin Miller who voted against the resolution, out of curiosity i asked him why he voted no trying to find out what we could have done differently or better, his response and I quote “he said they all called us to oppose it” I said sir that’s politics what about what’s right by the people, all he could do was shrug his shoulders. Now I can only assume “they” are the Commissioner, the Farm Bureau, American Sugarcane League and all the other industries and lobbyists who showed up at that hearing.

I can promise you and them, that there attempt of show of force does not and will not intimidate us. We made every attempt to work with them and they have chosen not to work with us. We will use every means possible from State to Federal level, the EPA and so forth.

To the class of people who suffer from this know that myself and my organization will continue to fight for you, we know you are forced inside your homes and lose the enjoyment and use of your property, we see the pain and suffering you are experiencing and we hear the emotional distress in your voices.

I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice but if you are suffering from aggravated symptoms you may want to contact an attorney.

Thank you to all who support this effort, we will keep up the good fight

05/15/2023

Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning - CAAFB and its followers support the farming industry, as well as strive for smart legislation to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all people in our state. We are all affected by the unnecessary and harmful effects of agricultural field burning. Thank you for your support.
John Achee Jr., CAAFB President and Founder


Now is the Time to email and/or call your Louisiana Representative(s) ASAP to:

*Approve HCR97 by Representative Beryl Amedee
Agriculture: Creates the Louisiana Agricultural Field Burning Task Force to study alternatives to adequacy of existing regulations.
(Current Status: Pending House Referral)

Please do not delay as this bill will be submitted Thursday, May 18, 2023 for House approval.

The following is a list of emails and phone numbers for the Committee Members of each District / Parish:

Jack McFarland, Chairman, District 13 (R)
Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, and Winn Parishes
[email protected]
(318)259-4275

Dustin Miller, Vice Chair, District 40 (D)
St. Landry Parish
[email protected]
(337)943-2900

Ryan Bourriaque, Member, District 47 (R)
Calcasieu, Cameron, and Vermilion Parishes
[email protected]
(337)893-5035

Kendrick "Ken" Brass, Member, District 58 (D)
Ascension, Iberville, and St. James Parishes
[email protected]
(225) 265-9005

Marcus Anthony Bryant, Member, District 96 (D)
Iberia, Lafayette, and St. Martin Parishes
[email protected]
(337)373-9380

Rhonda Gaye Butler, Member, District 38 (R)
Evangeline and St. Landry Parishes
[email protected]
(337)363-3900

Daryl Andrew Deshotel, Member, District 28 (R)
Avoyelles Parish
[email protected]
(318)253-8891

Adrian Fisher, Member, District 16 (D)
Morehouse and Ouachita Parishes
[email protected]
(318)556-7001

C.Travis Johnson, Member, District 21 (D)
Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, and Tensas Parishes
[email protected]
(225)308-4269

Danny McCormick, Member, District 1 (R)
Bossier and Caddo Parishes
[email protected]
(318)995-8040

Wayne McMahen, Member, District 10 (R)
Bossier and Webster Parishes
[email protected]
(318)371-3092

Buddy Mincey, Jr., Member, District 71 (R)
Livingston Parish
[email protected],gov
(225)667-6088

Troy D. Romero, Member, District 37 (R)
Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis Parishes
[email protected]
(337)824-0376

Larry Selders, Member, District 67 (D)
East Baton Rouge Parish
[email protected]
(225)342-7106

Vincent "Vinney" J. St. Blanc, Member, District 50 (R)
St. Martin and St. Mary Parishes
[email protected]
(337)828-7778

Francis C. Thompson, Member, District 19 (R)
East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland,
and West Carroll Parishes
[email protected]
(318)878-9408

Christopher Turner, Member, District 12 (R)
Lincoln and Union Parishes
[email protected]
(318)251-5038

William "Bill" Wheat, Jr., Member, District 73 (R)
Tangipahoa Parish
[email protected]
(985)386-7844

05/15/2023

I apologize for being late with this but on behalf of myself, CAAFB and The Johnny Achee and Erin LaPoint Foundation would like to wish all you mom’s a very Happy Mother’s Day, hope your day was filled with joy and happiness!

05/05/2023

Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning - CAAFB and The Johnny Achee and Erin LaPoint Foundation are currently looking for someone who is passionate and driven about being part of an organization fighting for change for our cause and other causes like it, this person must have experience and be proficient in grant writing with marketing and advertising experience being a plus. This position is mostly voluntary at this time but might easily be converted to a salaried position, however certain expenses will be taken care of, this position also offers the opportunity of becoming a board member of either of our organizations.

Serious inquiries only please.

Sincerely,
John Achee Jr
President/Founder
CAAFB
The Johnny Achee and Erin LaPoint Foundation

Please share this post

Address

Labadieville, LA
70372

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning - CAAFB posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Citizens Against Agricultural Field Burning - CAAFB:

Share