With legislation to set a national labeling standard for bioengineered food making its way through the Senate Agriculture Committee next week, the effort to communicate soybean farmer priorities to Capitol Hill on the topic will be front and center at the annual Commodity Classic in New Orleans.

ASA will make the bill and the corresponding grassroots effort the focal point of its Thursday press conference, and throughout the three-day trade show, attendees will be able to send emails and tweets to their Senate offices from a kiosk within the ASA booth. Additionally, ASA will be directing growers to pick up the phone and call their Senate offices via a toll-free number run by the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food. That number, 866-464-6633, provides callers with a refresher on the GMO issue and what’s at stake for farmers, before connecting the caller directly with his or her Senate offices.

“The GMO labeling discussion is the most significant one we’ve been a part of to date, and the legislative results of this discussion will affect each and every farmer’s access to technology,” said Patrick Delaney, ASA’s director of policy communication. “We know the other voices in this conversation are loud ones, and for us to be successful, it’s going to take all of agriculture standing up and speaking out repeatedly until we are heard. We’re excited to provide options to reach out to lawmakers at Classic, which will see more growers and attendees than ever before. It’s a big opportunity.”

Commodity Classic begins next week in New Orleans. For more on how to get involved, please visit www.CFSAF.org.