Introducing the National Grange "Policy Discussion Room"
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The National Grange Legislative Department presents a new, exciting program called, Policy Discussion Room. Policy Discussion Room is an online discussion board on the National Grange's website. Any Grange member can discuss issues of concern with other Grange members across the nation by posting their comments, suggestions or feedback in the Policy Discussion Room.

The Policy Discussion Room features two different discussion areas. The first area is called "Hot Topics." This area is for discussion about current issues that affect family farmers and rural America. The "Hot Topics" area will be updated weekly with a new discussion topic pulled directly from newspaper headlines or TV news.

The second discussion area is "Grange Policy". In this area, Grange members have the opportunity to review and discuss any or all of the more than 1,000 existing National Grange Legislative policies. All of the existing National Grange legislative policies are posted in the Grange Policy discussion area. The Grange Policy area is organized using the same format as the 2005 National Grange Legislative Policies book. There are six sub-areas for National Grange policies related to Agriculture, Citizenship and Public Affairs, Conservation and Natural Resources, Education and Health, Labor and Judiciary, and Taxation and Transportation. Within each of these sub-areas, the policies are further broken down into sub-headings that correspond with the sub-headings in the 2005 Legislative Policy Book.

If you are interested in Grange policy on a particular issue, and want to make a comment about that issue but are unsure where to find that policy, you can use the "search" function on the National Grange website to find "key words" anywhere on our website. For example by typing in the word "dairy" you would receive references to all references on the National Grange website where the word "dairy" occurs, including those sections of the legislative policies that explain our policy on dairy programs. From there you should be able to identify the sub-area and sub-heading in the Grange Policy area that are most appropriate for a discussion on Grange dairy policy.

Your views and opinions will be important references in shaping the Grange's legislative policies. We are hoping that this Policy Discussion Room provides additional information for National and State Grange delegates about the thoughts, views and opinions of our members regarding existing Grange policy as well as new issues that require the Grange's attention. However, the Policy Discussion Room will be used only on an advisory basis. Changes, amendments or additions to National Grange legislative policy can still only come through resolutions submitted through local and State Granges and with the affirmative vote of the National Grange Delegates.

For security purposes, you must register on the website in order to log in to post messages. Registration takes only a few minutes. When you register you have to verify your Grange membership with your real name and your e-mail address as well as the name, number and state for the local Grange that you belong to. You can then choose your own password for the Policy Discussion Room. Your personal information will not be sold or given to any one else by the National Grange or used for any Grange related purpose that is not expressly authorized by the National Grange Board of Directors.

Once you are registered you can log in anytime after that by entering your username, which is your real name, and password. If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you first log in, the program will only allow you to stay logged in for a single time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the log me in automatically box during login.

We hope and expect that the Policy Discussion Room will generate vigorous and thought provoking comments. Unfortunately, we recognize the possibility that some comments could go beyond vigorous to inappropriate. Like a community Grange master/president who has the responsibility of maintaining order and civility during the discussions at a local Grange meeting, the National Grange Legislative Department reserves the right to monitor all comments posted in the Policy Discussion Room. Comments that are inappropriate or offensive will be deleted. Individuals who post multiple offensive or inappropriate comments will be denied further access to the Policy Discussion Room. The decisions of the National Grange Legislative Department on these issues are final.

The Policy Discussion Room is an exciting web-based communication tool that lets you participate in an open discussion of a wide-ranging number of issues affecting your Grange, your community, your state and your nation. We hope you find this program accessible, interesting and thought provoking as we draw on the knowledge, skills and expertise of Grange members across the nation. We invite you to step up to the podium in this new online Policy Discussion Room and let your voice be heard. Let's get louder!

To enter the online Policy Discussion Room, CLICK HERE