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April 2010 |
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| National Master Attends Rural Summit |
On April 28th, National Master, Ed Luttrell, and National Grange Legislative Director, Leroy Watson, were invited to attend a national rural summit sponsored by the U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. More than 150 farm and rural leaders from across the nation attended the five hour conference. The rural summit was organized and hosted by Senator Blanche Lincoln (AR), who serves as chair of the U.S. Senate Democratic Rural Caucus as well as chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture.
Speakers included 11 current U.S. Senators, including Senate Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid (NV). The Senators presented their views on critical issues facing rural communities across the nation and possible policy solution that the Democratic Rural Caucus was working on. Issues addressed by the speakers, which focused on major quality of life priority issues facing farming and rural communities, included: agriculture, telecommunications infrastructure, unemployment/jobs/rural development, health care reform, rural education reform, clean energy/biofuels, global climate change, rural transportation infrastructure, transportation infrastructure and financial reform. Plenty of time was built in to the agenda for vigorous questions and answer sessions from the audience after each panel made its presentations.
Former President Bill Clinton gave the final address at the conference. Former President Clinton focused his remarks about the prospects for successful strategies for U.S. rural development on a number of examples and lessons learned from his experiences after leaving office as Chairman of the William J. Clinton Foundation, a private, non-profit organization that he formed with his family to promote sustainable economic development strategies in countries around the world. Former President Clinton predicted that the future success of economic development strategies in rural America would depend on three factors.
First, rural America needs access to the same 21st century advanced telecommunications technologies, such as broadband, that not only urban and suburban communities have in the U.S. but that, increasingly, residents of partially developed and undeveloped nations have. He noted that during his travels he has witnessed strong commitments by national governments, even in most developing nations, to provide advanced telecommunications infrastructure to their citizens which allow them to be competitive in the global economy. The former president stated that the United States has failed to take advantage of the full potential of its rural citizens to compete in the world economy by not adopting a strong policy to assure that every American has access to broadband technologies.
Second, President Clinton emphasized that there is a growing need for highly skilled, good paying jobs in rural communities, which is not being met by the current educational infrastructure. He noted that we not only need to address the challenges of increasing high school graduation rates in rural communities, but that additional educational opportunities provided by community and technical colleges are critical to providing training for jobs, like health care, where there is currently a deficit of qualified individuals
Third, the former president expressed his optimism about the prospects for rural America to provide the nation with nearly unlimited amounts of reliable, domestically produced, cost effective and environmentally sustainable sources of energy in the 21 st century should appropriate policy decisions be enacted. These energy industries can provide a stable source of income to rural communities as rural resources provide the 21 st century energy needs of our nation and can also be used as a way to attract other high paying industries, like high tech manufacturing, to locate near the sources of energy for their facilities.
One question is “How can representatives from the National Grange, with its strict traditions and rules related to non-partisanship, participate in this partisan event?” While the event was sponsored by the U.S. Senate Democratic Rural Caucus, it was clear from the invitation and supporting materials that summit participation was not directed or restricted to those affiliated with the Democratic Party. Nor was the event related to promoting any campaign activities or any specific candidates who are, or might be, running for office this fall. With the exception of Former President Bill Clinton, all of the speakers were incumbent office holders and only addressed the issues of policy and legislation. Likewise, all of the speakers maintained a civil and courteous tone related to their Republican Senate colleagues and avoided any temptations to engage in gratuitous partisan name calling or finger pointing. Therefore, because the Rural Summit was a policy issue-based event, and not an event promoting a party or candidates’ agenda, it was appropriate for National Grange representatives to attend the Rural Summit.
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| National Grange Supports Lifting Cuba Travel Restrictions |
Representatives of America’s agriculture and agribusiness community, broader business community, and other advocates including the National Grange, recently urged members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture to co-sponsor and support H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act. Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced this legislation.
Since sales of U.S. farm goods were allowed into Cuba in 2000, U.S. farmers have seen $4 billion in sales go into that market and payment has been received from the Cubans without issue. Unfortunately, due to continued arbitrary restrictions on U.S. agricultural sales, American producers have failed to realize the full potential of this market. The coalition urges Congress to help support America’s farmers increase their export sales, especially in these difficult economic times.
H.R. 4645 will not repeal the U.S. embargo or lift the restrictions on credit. Cuban exports to the United States would continue to be prohibited. The bill simply clarifies how U.S. farmers and agricultural businesses conduct sales to Cuba and allows U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba, consistent with their ability to do so to every other country, including other U.S. sanctioned countries. These modest changes will establish and protect U.S. agriculture’s reputation as a reliable supplier and provide the opportunity to maintain and grow U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba.
H.R. 4645 represents an opportunity to remove unjustified U.S. barriers to our own agricultural sector in order to increase the export competitiveness of U.S. agriculture products in Cuba. As a result, the coalition urges Congressional support of the bill as introduced without amendments.
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| National Grange Encourages Wall Street Financial Reform Debate |
National Grange and the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition recently urged U.S. Senate leadership to include the “Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act,” in the “American Financial Stability Act” (S.3217) - otherwise known as the comprehensive “Wall Street Reform” bill.
The National Grange and the Coalition believes that policy in the commodity trading markets should aim to strengthen oversight, transparency, and stability and to address inadequacies in the existing financial markets for both regulated markets like stock markets and futures contracts markets as well as unregulated, privately traded, bilateral, contractual, and financial products, generally known as “derivatives”. To this end, the proposed legislation constitutes the most reform-minded legislative proposal to date. Written under the leadership of U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Sen. Blanche Lincoln, this legislation makes significant improvements over current inadequate regulatory programs and brings greater public accountability to all financial product markets, included those privately traded.
The National Grange and the Coalition believes this legislation may be Congress’ best opportunity to pass meaningful reform of the financial markets, to address excessive speculation to prevent market fraud and abuse, and to prevent a recurrence of a market bubble and subsequent collapse that nearly brought down the entire American economy.
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| Foot-and-Mouth Trade Restrictions |
The National Grange and other like-minded organizations recently wrote to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk urging them to abandon their plans to relax foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) restrictions for beef and other livestock products from Brazil.
According to a joint news release, the United States and Brazil jointly agreed in private negotiations earlier this year to publish a proposed rule to recognize the State of Santa Catarina as free of foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, classical swine fever, African swine fever, and swine vesicular disease, based on World Organization for Animal Health Guidelines. USDA will complete a risk evaluation to identify appropriate risk mitigation measures and determine whether fresh beef can be imported from Brazil while preventing the introduction of FMD in the United States.
It would appear that, in the context of the joint news release, this concession to relax U.S. FMD restrictions is a quid-pro-quo response to Brazil’s willingness to make certain concessions regarding the U.S. cotton program. The group is deeply concerned this action signifies that the Obama Administration is willing to allow trade-related objectives to decisively trump food and animal health safety.
The United States recently avoided a heightened risk of exposure to FMD that resulted from previous misguided and premature efforts to relax import restrictions from Uruguay. The Brazilian proposal would relax FMD import restrictions for certain regions within Brazil to export higher-risk products to the United States, despite that country’s overall failure to eradicate FMD.
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| Food Symposium Survey |
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), a nonprofit organization composed of scientific societies and many individual, student, company, nonprofit, and associate society members is coordinating a Food Animal Agriculture Symposium. “Sustaining Animal Agriculture: Balancing Bioethical, Economic and Social Issues,” will be held June 8, 9, and 10 in Washington, DC. They have contacted the National Grange, asking for our assistance explaining and distributing a survey requesting information that will be summarized and presented on the first day of this symposium. The purpose of the symposium is to explore the intended and unintended consequences of state ballot initiatives, and other legal mandates, regarding animal welfare issues. They will use the information you provide to evaluate how these mandates impact food animal producers of all sizes, their communities, animal welfare, the structure of agriculture, and our food security.
AST is using a survey system called Surveymonkey to solicit the information they would like to obtain for the symposium. Surveymonkey is easy to use and all information will be confidential. In no case will it be possible to identify a farm or stakeholder. Participation is strictly voluntary. However, your participation is greatly appreciated because it will allow a more accurate identification of the impact of intended and unintended consequences of various food animal production ballot, regulatory, and legislative initiatives in the United States. To participate in the CAST survey and be part of this important symposium please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2B2HKJ8, and provide your candid opinions on the topic of ballot initiatives and other legal mandates.
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| New Rural Education Policy Would Focus on School Success, not Failure |
Recently the Obama Administration announced new proposals to place increased emphasis on school success, rather than failure, and to establish a goal of ensuring that all students leave high school prepared for college or career, as part of its legislative blueprint for revising the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
The Administration's blueprint asks the states to adopt the academic standards proposed by the nation's governors and state education leaders, and to create accountability systems that recognize student growth and school progress. The administration supports a rigorous and fair accountability system measuring student growth, rewarding schools that accelerate student achievement, and identify and reward outstanding teachers and leaders.
The blueprint also says the accountability system will require states and districts to identify and take rigorous actions in the lowest-performing schools. The administration has proposed a significant investment to help states and districts recognize and reward high-poverty schools and districts that are showing improvement getting their students on this path, using measures of progress and growth.
Under the proposal, states and districts will continue to focus on the achievement gap by identifying and intervening in schools that are persistently failing to close those gaps. For other schools, states, and districts would have flexibility to determine the appropriate improvement and support options. |
| Legislative Round-Up |
Ohio State Grange President Responds to Humane Society
Gary Brumbaugh, Ohio State Grange President, recently wrote to Ohio Humane Society State Director Karen Minton, who requested that he retract an internal e-mail concerning animal care. Mr. Brumbaugh pointed out that he and Ms. Minton have honest differences of opinion regarding the application of anthropomorphic principals to appropriate animal care standards. At issue is the basic philosophy behind the public policy debate related to additional government intervention and regulation of the practice of animal husbandry in Ohio as well as the appropriate definition of what constitutes humane treatment of livestock.
Brumbaugh pointed out that at a time when the entire population of farmers in the United States, as well as in Ohio, constitutes less than 1.5% of the total population, Ohio’s family farmers, including its livestock producers, constitute “a thin green line” that is nearly entirely responsible for domestic production of a sufficient amount of, and a wide variety of, wholesome food choices (including meat products) available to consumers at affordable prices. The alternative is either the increased dependence on food imports or greater levels of food insecurity in the U.S.
Balancing the need for keeping our family farms productive and keeping the production livestock entrusted to them healthy is why the Ohio State Grange strongly supported adoption of ISSUE 2 last November. Ohio State Grange democratically adopted policy supports the appropriate practice of animal agriculture in Ohio as well as the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. Ohio’s voters spoke with a clear voice as to the direction they wanted the state to go related to standards of operation and definitions of appropriate livestock care on Ohio’s family farms when they adopted ISSUE 2 by a nearly 2 to 1 margin. The State Legislature, with the Ohio State Grange’s support, has dutifully followed the direction of the voters and has adopted conforming legislation to implement ISSUE 2. The members of the Ohio State Grange anticipate a vigorous, spirited, publicly transparent, and factually rigorous discussion among various factions with interests in the appropriate animal production practices in Ohio as the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board implements its mandate.
Illinois State Grange Supports Increased Access to Telecommunications Services
On behalf of the Illinois State Grange, Legislative Director, David Donley recently wrote to members of the Illinois Legislature strongly supporting measures to increase access to advanced telecommunications services in farming and rural communities throughout Illinois. The Illinois State Grange supports modernizing Illinois’ telecom rules by passing House Bill 6425. The goals of this bill are to promote new private investment in broadband infrastructure as well as to grow and retain jobs by updating the outdated telecommunications law in Illinois, somewhat leveling the competitive playing field and by relying on competition and consumer choice. Implementing these goals by passing H.B 6425 will clearly benefit the farming and rural communities of the state.
The Grange supports H.B. 6425 because it provides incentives that will attract additional investment for new technologies that will offer advanced telecommunications services like high-speed internet access and advanced wireless communications to rural communities. These economic investments will, in turn, create new jobs and growth throughout the state. It’s important that Illinois invest in new infrastructure and equipment, rather than maintaining outdated regulations if family farmers and rural small businesses are going to remain economically competitive and prosper in the 21st century.
In addition, H.B. 6425 allows traditional telephone landline providers to be regulated the same way as newer phone companies. It retains Illinois’ strong consumer protections and offers consumer packages with limited rates. Illinois consumers, rural communities and the economy as a whole should reap the benefits of increased competition in the form of more choices, better service, and competitive prices.
Democracy In Action
By Buzz Chernoff, CA State Grange Lecturer
An educated electorate is the foundation of a true democracy. You and your Grange can be a part of this education by holding a forum where candidates for local offices present their opinions and visions on issues of local concern issues that can have a direct impact on your community. There will be a primary election in June, in which candidates for state and local offices like Board of Supervisor, City Council, District Attorney, Sheriff, School Board, Fire Board, Public Utility District, and other local offices will be voted on to see who goes to the general election in November. In those cases where a candidates gets 50% or more of the primary vote, they are declared the winner and don’t have to go on to the primary vote, they are declared the winner and don’t have to go on to the general election. So for some offices, the primary election is where the decision is made.
Several Granges throughout the state hold candidates forums. It’s not only a good way to inform the electorate but also a way to let your community learn what the Grange is doing and why they should want to be a part of it. You can get a detailed list of instructions for holding a candidate’s forum, as well as a sample press package with a press release and flyer, by going to the Lecturers page on the new and improved California State Grange website: www.californiagrange.org. Once your Grange sees how easy it is to do, and the benefits to be gained, there is really no excuse not to put democracy in action.
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