WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 11, 2013) — The National Grange on Tuesday released a statement regarding the 66-27 passage of the Senate’s Farm Bill, saying while hopeful we now wait again on the House for action on the nearly $1 trillion piece of legislation that affects every American directly or indirectly.

“While we’re happy that the Senate passed their version of the Farm Bill, we can’t help but feel a slight sense of deja vu.  Last June we saw the Senate pass their version of the Farm Bill but the House didn’t even get theirs to the floor,” National Grange Legislative Director Grace Boatright said.

House leadership has said the expect the Farm Bill to come before the floor next week.

“I’m hopeful that the house will pass their version of the bill this month, but realistically, we are still a long way from getting American agriculture a full five-year Farm Bill,” Boatright said. “We all have to keep working to let our elected representatives know how important the Farm Bill is to producers and consumers.”

National Grange President Ed Luttrell said the Farm Bill is an essential piece of the puzzle in stability in the market.

“Farmers are affected by so many variables, so a Farm Bill is important because it offers stability in the face of natural disasters, market shifts and so much more,” Luttrell said. “Every American enjoys benefits from a Farm Bill, from stable prices at the grocery store to continued research into best practices of farming and nutrition science. We look forward to the House taking action, but understand the two bills are still far apart and advocacy to find compromise is important.”

Specifically, the House and Senate bills show about a $16 billion difference in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  SNAP includes funding for more than 15 percent of Americans who currently receive what was formerly known as food stamps, along with money for reduced school lunches and other nutrition assistance programs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 3, 2013) – During an address Monday to Grange members attending the organization’s annual Fly-In, Ranking House Democrat Collin Peterson warned we may be seeing “the last Farm Bill,” if the omnibus legislation even passes through Congress this year.

“If we can’t get the votes then I think we’re done until the next election,” Peterson said during his luncheon address at the National Press Club. “But this might be the last Farm Bill.”

Peterson said the bill is making some progress, and is expected to come to the House floor on the week of June 17.

In spite of nearly $21 billion in proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – funding for what was formerly known as food stamps that makes up nearly 80 percent of the $1 trillion piece of legislation – Peterson said some Republicans still may not budge.

“Some Republicans tell me that the high water mark among the Republican Caucus is 150 (votes),” Peterson said. “I agreed to the SNAP cuts because (Rep.) Lucas thought it’s what needed to be done in order to get the votes. For some of them, $21 billion isn’t enough. For some of them, $100 billion wouldn’t be enough.”

Peterson said he and Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) believe limiting the number of amendments to no more than 30 that can be added to be bill is necessary to allow it to pass.

“We were very pleased and honored to have Rep. Peterson offer his insight into the Farm Bill process to our eager crowd,” National Grange President Edward L. Luttrell said. “Our members will be using this information as well as others they learned this week in their conversations with Representatives and Senators today and tomorrow across the Hill.”

The National Grange Fly-In is an annual event held to encourage members of the 145-year-old organization to speak directly to their elected officials about issues of importance to rural Americans and the agriculture sector.

The Fly-In began Sunday evening with a briefing by Joel White, President of Council for Affordable Health Care Coverage, on the status of the Affordable Care Act and runs through Tuesday.

After Peterson spoke, the National Grange and members proudly presented the first William Saunders Award for Rural Awareness to RAM for their Super Bowl Commercial, “God Made a Farmer.”

Established in 1867, the National Grange, a nonpartisan, nonprofit fraternal organization, is the oldest agricultural and rural community service organization. With more than 2,100 local chapters, the Grange has evolved into the nation’s leading rural advocacy organization and a major benefactor to local communities. There are more than 160,000 members across the United States. For more information on the National Grange, visit our website at www.nationalgrange.org.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 3, 2013) – National Grange President Edward L. Luttrell on Monday presented RAM the first William

Saunders Award for Rural Awareness for their Super Bowl Commercial, “God Made a Farmer.”

“This commercial was not about RAM, but about the way RAM validated and honored the values of farmers and farm families,” Luttrell said before presenting the award toCarlos Jimenez, Director of Chrysler’s Mid-Atlantic Business Center. “It made a nation pause and reflect on the work that goes into feeding America and much of the world and started a conversation in small towns and large urban centers.”

Jimenez accepted the award and spoke to a crowd of about 30 Grange leaders gathered for the annual National Grange Fly-In, held to encourage members of the 145-year-old organization to speak directly to their elected officials about issues of importance to rural Americans and the agriculture sector.

“Farmers are the embodiment of what the RAM brand stands for – humble but confident,” Jimenez said during his presentation.

Jimenez said one major goal of RAM when creating this campaign was to “raise the awareness of urbanites about agriculture and what farm communities do on a daily basis.”

“This commercial sharply elevated the imagery urbanites have of the farming community,” Jimenez said. “We are truly proud to be the recipient of this first William Saunders Award for Rural Awareness. There is an entire floor of RAM thrilled to be honored in this way.”

RAM had a goal of raising $1 million in YouTube views of the commercial for FFA to support Feeding the World – Starting at Home Campaign, Jimenez said.  Within a week, he said, they had met that goal.

Jimenez talked about the other steps RAM is taking to support FFA, including the release of a coffee table picture book with about 200 pictures shot as part of the 2013 Year of the Farmer campaign in which 10 photographers were hired and spent 25 days taking more than 4,000 images that were reduced to the 35 shown in the commercial. Proceeds from the book will go to a soon-to-be-announced FFA program, Jimenez said.

The Fly-In began Sunday evening with a briefing by Joel White, President of Council for Affordable Health Care Coverage, on the status of the Affordable Care Act and ran through Tuesday. Democratic Representative and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee Collin Peterson also spoke to attendees about the status of the Farm Bill and expected developments in a Republican-controlled House.

Established in 1867, the National Grange, a nonpartisan, nonprofit fraternal organization, is the oldest agricultural and rural community service organization. With more than 2,100 local chapters, the Grange has evolved into the nation’s leading rural advocacy organization and a major benefactor to local communities. There are more than 160,000 members across the United States. For more information on the National Grange, visit our website at www.nationalgrange.org.

WASHINGTON, DC (May 15, 2013) – The National Grange announced its support of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Bowman v. Monsanto case, regarding the sale and usage of self-replicating products such as Monsanto’s genetically modified soybeans.

The case began when Vernon Hugh Bowman, an Indiana soybean farmer, used replicated soybean seeds to create eight successive crops. Monsanto sued Bowman in a lower court, insisting that his subsequent plantings violated their patent and that the self-replicating properties of their genetically modified soybeans did not excuse him from paying for new seeds every year. Both the lower courts and the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Monsanto.

“The National Grange, along with everyone else in the Washington ag community, has been eagerly awaiting the Court’s decision on this case, as it has the potential to be a significant game changer not only for agriculture but for any product that contains a self-replicating element,” National Grange Legislative Director Grace Boatright said. “If the Supreme Court didn’t rule in favor of Monsanto’s argument there would be little incentive to produce and promote inventions if a company or individual lost all profit-making potential after the first sale of a self-replicating product.”

National Grange President Ed Luttrell said the move also assures an abundant food supply into the future.

 “The Supreme Court’s decision is not only good for agriculture and ag business, but it reaffirms the fact that genetically modified products are not only safe but also necessary if we intend to produce enough food to meet future needs,” Luttrell said. “The Grange is a supporter of GMO products and a supporter of the individual farmer’s right to use this technology when available. Until credible scientific evidence suggests that a real danger exists, there is no reason not to utilize GMO technology.”

Monsanto is the world’s largest producer of genetically engineered seeds, with over 650 seed patents. Together with Dupont and Syngenta, Monsanto controls over half the world’s seed production.

Established in 1867, the National Grange, a nonpartisan, nonprofit fraternal organization, is the oldest agricultural and rural community service organization. With more than 2,100 local chapters, the Grange has evolved into the nation’s leading rural advocacy organization and a major benefactor to local communities. There are more than 160,000 members across the United States.

National Grange President Ed Luttrell talks about the merits of May and events that are occurring in the coming months.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 30, 2013) – The National Grange filed an amicus brief Monday in opposition to the estate tax and a recent court decision in which defendants were ordered to pay more in inheritance taxes than what the inherited property was worth.

United States v. MacIntyre, heard by the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, has presented the question: Does the law permit the government to collect more from a donee than the value of the gift received?

The Grange, along with the National Black Chamber of Commerce who initiated the action, and the Sixty Plus Association, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and the Center for Individual Freedom, have responded with a resounding “no,” insisting that the government’s pursuance of such funds amounts to little more than greed.

“The Grange has long been an opponent of the estate tax. It does nothing but prevent the American dream from becoming a reality,” National Grange President Edward Luttrell said. “Farmers and ranchers all over the country have worked their entire lives in order to leave their children something substantial that could be passed on to future generations and the inheritance tax does nothing but work to destroy that legacy.”

“So many multi-generational farms and ranches have been lost because of the inheritor’s inability to pay the estate tax on the property. The original owners already worked to pay off this land so their children would be land owners able to support continued operations or realize the investment of ownership,” National Grange Legislative Director Grace Boatright said.

The amicus brief will be put on the record and allows the voices of farmers, ranchers, and other landowners to be heard.

 Established in 1867, The National Grange, a nonpartisan, nonprofit fraternal organization, is the oldest agricultural and rural community service organization. With more than 2,100 local chapters, the Grange has evolved into the nation’s leading rural advocacy organization and a major benefactor to local communities. There are more than 160,000 members across the United States.

It’s Grange Month! It’s that time of year when you open your doors to showcase what it is that makes the Grange so important to your community! National Grange President Ed Luttrell invites you all to participate and wishes your Grange and your community the best!