This is a critical time for our county as orthopaedic companies and now Louis Dreyfus are being threatened by legislation. I just received this from our local chamber and with their permission pass this on.
Please send a letter to the USDA in the following suggested format. The address is:
Branch Chief
Regulations & Paperwork Management Branch
U.S. Department of Agriculture
STOP 0742
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250-0742
You can submit comments to the Federal Rulemaking Portal here:
It helps the effort if copies of your correspondence are sent to our Indiana District 3 Delegation (Senators Lugar & Bayh) and to Governor Daniel's office. Additionally, you can include a copy to the Chamber of Commerce's office that will be attached to a letter forwarded from the local Chamber.
Here is a suggested letter of response. Please change as you see fit.
Dear Sir or Madam:
As a member of the community surrounding Claypool, Indiana, I have noticed a positive difference in the area since Louis Dreyfus started construction of its biofuel plant in 2006. Not only have they created new jobs for the area, but they have given the economy a boost by enlisting the services of many local businesses.
Louis Dreyfus came at a critical time when the job market in neighboring counties was devastated by the downturn in the economy. Elkhart County, which is just north of Claypool, has a heavy concentration of jobs related to the recreational vehicle industry. When the national economy started having problems, so did our community. Louis Dreyfus has provided over 90 new jobs for the area. They have also helped the community grow which, in turn, helped the Claypool Elementary School to reopen this year after several years of sitting empty. This is another example of their positive influence on the community.
Louis Dreyfus Commodities has paid U.S. taxes and they've helped the economic status of many businesses in a large area surrounding Claypool. The biodiesel plant has been a great addition to the community. I would encourage you to revise the biofuel payment policy to allow the Claypool plant to be treated like the rest of the industry.
