Affordable power rates are vital to the success of businesses, farmers and ratepayers throughout Idaho and the greater Northwest. Yet power rates across the Northwest have gone up by an average of 50 percent over the last five years. The Idaho State Grange believed it was time for lower power rates throughout the region and as a result joined the Northwest Coalition for Affordable Power’s $27 in ’07 campaign.

The Bonneville Power Administration, which provides nearly half of the electricity used in the Northwest, is currently working to determine its 2007 to 2009 power rates. Initially, it announced a recommended base power rate of about $30 per megawatt hour. Prior to the 2001 West Coast energy crisis, BPA’s average wholesale rates were less than $23 per megawatt hour. Over the past five years, BPA’s average power rate has been a record $31.54.

As a member of the Northwest Coalition for Affordable Power (www.27in07.org), they joined together with other businesses and organizations from across the NW to encourage BPA to set a rate target of $27 per megawatt hour – a 10% decrease from the rate BPA proposed.

NW ratepayers deserve stable and affordable power prices. Idaho State Grange, along with the NW Coalition for Affordable Power, are calling on BPA to make a long-term commitment to low wholesale power rates through efficiency and program cost savings. The fact is that some years BPA may be able to reach the target rate of $27 per megawatt hour because of heavy mountain snowpacks resulting in extra water runoff. Heavy snowpacks, however, are hit or miss, and ratepayers deserve stable electricity prices that don’t hinge on hopes of a high-water year.

The Animal Identification Program will permanently identify every farm animal in the United States with a unique number, somewhat similar to a Social Security number. The owner will then be required to maintain a record of where every animal has been throughout its life. If an animal contracts a contagious disease it will then be possible to identify and locate all the other animals it has come in contact with so the disease can be controlled as quickly as possible with the loss of the minimum number of animals.

Most dairy farmers now identify each cow as she comes through the milking parlor by scanning a bar code on her ear tag, similar to scanning your groceries at the store. Farmers who raise meat animals such as beef, pork and lamb also keep a record of each individual animal and identify them by either an ear tag number or a tattoo. The only difference the national animal identification program will make for these farmers is the numbers assigned to their cows. The national identification program does not cover poultry, but as the avian flu problem becomes more widespread in North America, it may be expanded to include birds.

Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) has received several letters and calls from farmers in eastern Connecticut opposing the national animal identification program, claiming it will result in a lot of burdensome and unnecessary paper work they will be required to complete. While in Washington for the National Grange Legislative Fly-In program in May, a Connecticut Grange Legislative Director Gordon Gibson met with aides to Rep. Simmons. Among other issues, Rep. Simons’ aides raised the issue of opposition to the animal identification program and asked for Grange policy on the matter. “It’s a great feeling to realize that Rep. Simmons’ office brought up the subject rather than the other way around,” said Gibson. “To me this means they recognize the Connecticut State Grange as a responsible source of reliable information. It also means our legislative program has moved a notch higher and gained a new level of respect,” stated the Connecticut Grange Legislative Director.

The N J State Grange Legislative Department held a very successful Legislative Day on June 15th at the State Capitol Annex, in Trenton, the first held in many years. State President, Pete Pompper, greeted several Grange members from across the state. Ed Wengryn, from the NJ Farm Bureau gave a very enlightening presentation on several of the important bills now in session including Jersey Fresh, a statewide marketing campaign.

Lt. Col. Thomas Gilbert, who serves as Chief of Staff to Superintendent Fuentes of the New Jersey State Police, explained the primary goal of the police force is the delivery of effective, constitutionally compliant public safety services to each and every citizen of the state. The Grange was instrumental in the formation of the N J State Police.

Peri Nearon, from the Dept. of Health and Senior Services, Office of Women’s Health Issues gave and overview and the background regarding the status of N J Women’s Health. The top killers of women in NJ are heart disease, often overlooked in females, lung, breast, & colorectal cancer and stroke.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture, Charlie Kuperus, honored the group by dropping by and commending the Grange for hosting this Legislative Day event. He also thanked the Grange for working with the Department of Agriculture. His staff discussed the department’s legislative agenda including emergency preparedness in the event of an avian flu pandemic.

A Legislator reception/luncheon followed. All State legislators were invited to drop to discuss issues with the Grangers – on a one-to-one basis. The “hot-off-the-press” new N J Grange Policy Book, which lists all updated resolutions alphabetized by title, was presented to all in attendance. This policy book has been well received and is an important tool for the State. There were several displays with information for Grange programs and ideas for resolutions.

Following the days events there was a tour of the Capitol building. The tour office supplied each person in attendance with a “bag” containing the history of the Capitol today, the assignment seating of the legislators, as well as places of interest to visit in Trenton, etc.