<Date> 
 
<Your Name> 
<Your Address> 
<Your phone>
<Your E-mail>

Senator <Your Senator>
Russell Senate Bldg
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator <Your Senator>,

	The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that overfishing of the world’s oceans has already caused the collapse of 30% of the world’s fisheries (UN FAO, 2011). With the world’s population continuing to increase, if nothing is done, the world could face the collapse of 100% of the world’s ocean fisheries by 2050 (UN FAO, 2011).  The answer is farming of fish the same way that we farm crops. Aquaculture (the farming of seafood) and aquaponic (the farming of fish and plants in a single symbiotic system) are techniques that are proven to work. Although these techniques are already producing over 40% of the world’s seafood, only a tiny fraction of the production is done in the US. Overseas aquiculture operations, particularly in Asian countries, sometimes have questionable quality practices including the overuse of antibiotics (UN FAO, 2012). For the health of the American people, the health of the American farm economy and US job creation, we need to develop and expand aquaculture and aquaponics  in the US.
	One solution is to include tax credits in the next Farm Bill that will support the development of aquaculture and aquaponics  in  <Your State>  and elsewhere in the US. This will strengthen the <Your State> economy and provide greater food security for the state. Aquaculture and aquaponics industries are environmentally friendly and reduce the risk of over fishing. Aquaculture  uses up to 98% less water than conventional farming methods, produces up to ten times more vegetables and crops in the same amount of space and time and uses up to 75% less energy than almost any other farming method (Nor Cal, 2014).
I ask you to support the inclusion of tax credits in the next Farm Bill that will help promote aquaculture and aquaponics in the US. It would mean economic gain for many in <Your State>.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these important questions.

Sincerely,

<Your Signature>

<Your Name>