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July 2008

National Grange Writes to Homeland Security Secretary Concerning National Bio-and Agro Defense Facility
National Grange Encourages Local Granges to Host Public Information on Digital Television
National Grange Supports the "Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008"
National Grange Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Gun Decision
Legislative Round-Up

National Grange Writes to Homeland Security Secretary Concerning National Bio-and Agro Defense Facility

National Grange recently wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff concerning the proposals to relocate the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to a location on the mainland United States. The National Grange supports a National Bio-and Agro Defense Facility that is geographically isolated as much as possible from the environmental, commercial, and civic infrastructure of the mainland, such as the Plum Island facility. The Grange strongly opposes the development of an animal disease research facility on the United States mainland that works with live strains of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) viruses as well as other virulent foreign animal diseases (FADs) anywhere near existing concentrations of commercial livestock.

According to Leroy Watson, Legislative Director of the National Grange, the economic risks of a potential outbreak of FMD to family farmers and ranchers across the nation with commercial livestock operations will far outweigh the advantages the government has put forth to justify their proposals to bring this critical and sensitive research back to the mainland and away from the isolated island research facility, where it has been successfully conducted for more than fifty years. While there are many possible scenarios for the outbreak of animal diseases that would pose a significant economic risk to family farmers and ranchers as well as to their surrounding rural communities and their natural environments, few come close to the nightmare of an outbreak of FMD in dramatically impacting many aspects of American life.

There is no known cure for FMD once it has been contracted. Once the disease is loose on the mainland U.S., it could require mass slaughter and disposal of potentially tens of millions of individual carcasses of domestic and wild animals to control the outbreak. It would undoubtedly disrupt the domestic and international sale of meat and meat products throughout the nation for months or even years. The ancillary costs to general commerce, outdoor recreation, and impacts on future investments in the livestock sector by family farmers and ranchers would exceed the conservative USDA estimate of $60 billion in direct costs by several fold.

Recently Great Britain experienced two outbreaks of FMD that have been attributed to a release from bio-research facilities working with FMD. A 2001 outbreak caused at least $16 billion in damages, devastated the rural economy, and nearly caused the government to fall. The experiences in Great Britain lead the National Grange to conclude that conducting federal research on dangerous animal diseases on the U.S. mainland is a risk we do not have to take.

Even if an outbreak never occurs, the National Grange is concerned that a mainland facility would become an inviting target for espionage and terrorist or criminal attacks aimed at breaching the physical and procedural barrier built into the facility and getting these pathogens out of the laboratory to eventually be released into the environment. The concern is that a facility located on the mainland would attract an extremely broad universe of potential terrorist or criminal organizations to use an attack on the facility to advance their goals.

National Grange Encourages Local Granges to Host Public Information on Digital Television

This Summer and Fall, the National Grange is encouraging local Granges to host Digital Television Coupon Application Events focused on providing times when consumers can come to a specific location and get assistance in applying online, via phone, or completing a paper application. “Complete It. Connect It” is focused on urging consumers who want converter boxes to apply for coupons now. Please consider spreading the word about the digital TV transition and Coupon Program.

Big changes are coming to television, but they have nothing to do with summer re-runs or the new fall season. These changes involve the transition to digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009. Congress ordered the change to all-digital broadcasting to free up channels for police, fire, and emergency personnel. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the agency that oversees the nation’s airwaves, the digital transition offers benefits beyond public safety: it will open the door to new wireless services for consumers, allow TV stations to offer better picture and sound quality, and enable TV stations to broadcast several programs at the same time.

For millions of Americans — those whose televisions are already hooked up to cable or satellite or those who have televisions with built-in digital tuners — the transition should be seamless. But if you get your programming on an analog television through a rooftop antenna or “rabbit ears,” you will have to take action to keep your TV sets working after the transition. You can:

Connect your analog TV to a converter box that will get digital reception;
Connect your analog TV to a paid service like cable or satellite; or
Buy a TV with a built-in digital tuner.

Through a program run by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration ( NTIA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, every household can get two coupons — each worth $40 — to help defray the cost of the digital converter boxes. Most of the boxes cost between $50 and $70; coupons can be ordered online at www.dtv2009.gov or by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009. Government coupons for converter boxes are available on a “use it or lose it” basis for 90 days after they are mailed. If the coupons are not used within 90 days, they cannot be replaced. One coupon can be applied toward the purchase of each converter box so two coupons will only be needed for two converter boxes. It is illegal to sell the coupons, but coupons can be given to a family member or friend.

If your Grange decides to conduct a digital TV community service project, free event resources are available. If you provide the location and encourage your members and community partners to attend the event, then NTIA can assist with the following event resources at no cost to you, provided that the event is open to the public, with capacity for at least 100 attendees:

Speaker and/or individual to conduct a converter box demonstration
Loaner converter box
Connection to local certified retailers that may want to participate in the event
Local media pitching to encourage journalists to promote and cover the event

Ready to Host an Event? NTIA encourages you to use the resources above to help your community take action and prepare for the digital TV transition. Please contact D’Neisha Simmons Jendayi at dneisha.simmonsjendayi@ketchum.com or 202-835-9473 if you would like NTIA’s help in facilitating an event in your community.

National Grange Supports the "Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008"

The National Grange wrote to House and Senate Agriculture Committee members supporting S 3238 and HR 6522, the Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008. These pieces of legislation would ban beef imports from Argentina until that country can guarantee that its beef exports are free of Food and Mouth Disease (FMD). In addition to Argentina’s unpaid debt, FMD is one of Argentina’s many problems that could potentially harm America’s farming community.

Argentina has proven to be an international pariah with its economic and foreign policies, which hurt America’s family farmers and ranchers. Argentina repudiated its debt obligations of over $30 billion in public and private debt in 2005 to American taxpayers. After the 2001 default, the Argentine government manipulated its currency, which allowed the country to maintain an unfair export incentive. Argentina recently moved to impose a 45% export tax on soybeans that amounts to “sovereign profiteering” in light of a world food crisis. At a time when food safety is a rising international priority, Argentina has been unable to prove that its beef exports are FMD free. Clearly, Argentina can’t be trusted to honor its debt, to export its soybeans without profiteering on the pressing humanitarian needs of a hungry world, or export disease free beef. These pieces of legislation are a step in the right direction toward making Argentina accountable to the basic standards of the international community.

National Grange Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Gun Decision

The National Grange applauded the Supreme Court decision overturning the ban on most gun ownership in the nation's capital. The basic issue for the Justices was whether the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects an individual's right to own guns no matter what, or whether that right is somehow tied to service in a state militia. The Court said an individual’s right to bear arms is supported by "the historical narrative" both before and after the Second Amendment was adopted, thus ruling that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting.

Edward Luttrell, National Grange President stated, “The National Grange is ecstatic about the U. S. Supreme Court decision concerning the right to bear arms. Our policy, derived at the grassroots level from our members across the country, states that we oppose restrictions on the rights of citizens to bear arms for protection of their families, property and common defense, with the exception of assault weapons manufactured and designed specifically for military use.”

Luttrell continued, “National Grange members favor severe and mandatory sentences, including incarceration, for anyone using firearms while committing a crime and the strict enforcement of existing rules and regulations pertaining to the ownership, purchase, or registration of firearms.”

Leroy Watson, Legislative Director for the National Grange concluded, “The U.S. Supreme Court wisely upheld the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, thus overturning a 32 year old law adopted by Washington DC’s city council prohibiting residents from owning handguns unless they had one before the law took effect.”

Legislative Round-Up

Washington State
By Scott Dahlman, Legislative Liaison

Grange Sits on Committee for Critical Areas Ordinance Rules

During the 2007 Washington legislative session, the agricultural community supported a bill that would have granted an exemption to critical areas ordinances (CAOs), for ongoing agricultural practices. The issue quickly became contentious and was the subject of many negotiations. The Legislature decided that the conflict between agricultural practices and CAOs was much too complex an issue to be solved in a 105-day legislative session. This led them to pass Senate Bill 5248.

SB 5248 had two main components. The first piece was direction for a study to be conducted by the Ruckelshaus Center, jointly managed by the University of Washington and Washington State University. This study will look deeper into the effect of the WA Growth Management Act – and specifically CAOs – on agricultural activities.

The second part is a four-year period in which no new CAO regulations can be placed on agricultural activities. This allows us to search for new solutions without the fear of new regulations in the meantime.

The study will last two years, with reports on progress due in December of 2007 and a final report to the Legislature in December of 2008. The study committee’s goal is to come back to the Legislature with some voluntary programs that will help alleviate the ongoing conflict between the conservation of critical areas and the viability of agriculture. The study committee is made up of 17 members representing various interests. The four main interests represented are agriculture, environment, tribes, and local governments. Scott Dahlman represents the Washington State Grange.

North Carolina
By Allison Fowler, Legislative Director

Possible Closing of Agricultural Research Stations

In the Summer of 2007, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation which directed the state’s Program Evaluation Division (PED) to evaluate North Carolina’s eighteen agricultural research stations for efficiency, structure, and management to determine if the current co-ownership between the NC Department of Agriculture and the North Carolina State University (NCSU) was effective, or whether one entity should assume control. On May 8, 2008, the PED officially presented their findings to concerned members of the agricultural community. North Carolina State Grange Master Jimmy Gentry and Legislative Director Allison Fowler sat in the front, NC Grange policy in hand, to listen to the recommendations presented.

Five recommendations were made, with the final one being to close seven research stations. The NC State Grange firmly opposes any effort to disrupt the relationship among NCDA, NCSU, and NC A&T, which would lead to a reduction in agricultural research taking place in North Carolina. Without internal cooperation from the three entities, there is a chance that legislation will force PED’s recommendations to be followed through – with the possibility of closing seven research stations. State legislators have sponsored a bill that will bring all three entities to the table – with advice and consent from the Board of Agriculture – to develop a strategic plan and bring about a resolution. Hopefully, the prevailing idea will be that reducing quantity in the name of efficiency is not always the most effective thing to do.

Political Forum Hosted By Grantham Grange

Grantham Grange is proof that one organization can bring together current and future leaders in Wayne & Johnston Counties in one place so that an entire community can benefit. Twenty-three candidates, or their spokesperson, sat elbow to elbow before a large crowd at the Grantham Fire Department on the night of April 28. Each wore their political pins, flyers were distributed to every person in the audience, and the local media was ready to record this event. Before beginning, each candidate had the unique opportunity to share refreshments and make a personal connection with those in attendance.

Each candidate introduced himself, most boasted of their proud upbringing in Wayne County, and each gave their reasons for being the best candidate for their respective position. Dr. John Tart served as the moderator of the forum, asking insightful and probing questions about how each candidate would treat specific issues pertaining to their duties.

After the forum, candidates were free to continue campaigning, and many in the audience had questions or wanted to relay their support. Without a doubt, it was a beneficial night for both members of the community and those running for office. Grantham Grange stepped up to be a great legislative leader by hosting this event.

Maryland
By Alan Stiles, Legislative Chair

MD Grange Writes to Governor on Conservation Efforts

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has launched a new initiative entitled: “Take it From Maryland Farmers: Backyard Actions for a Cleaner Chesapeake Bay.” The campaign “encourages homeowners to try pesticide alternatives, use fertilizers wisely, control erosion and rainwater runoff, compost yard waste, and conserve water at home” according to a letter from the Governor to Allen Stiles, Legislative Director for the Maryland State Grange, dated April 29, 2008. Stiles responded on May 8 to thank him for the new campaign, reiterating the State Grange’s contention that conservation would be more effective once homeowners are expected to follow the same guidelines and mandates as Maryland’s farmers.

Nebraska
By Dick Janing, Legislative Chair

100th Legislature Session Ends

The second session of the 100 th legislature ended on schedule on April 17, 2008. Bills on which the Grange had taken a position that were still in the process at my last report were LB 777, 880, 1115, 1044, and 1174. LB 777 was signed into law and will result in a combined value on a tract of land that previously had parcels with different values. The Grange supported this bill. LB 880 remained on general file. Senator Dierks withdrew LB 1174, which would have recreated protection for agriculture from giant corporate takeover, from debate when it appeared to be going down in defeat. LB 1044 was indefinitely postponed. LB 1115 and LB 1116 were combined into one bill. This bill has been signed into law and will sell State Fair Park to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and move the State Fair to Grand Island in 2010. The State Fair issue is up in the air again with the filing of a petition with the Secretary of State to put the issue on the November ballot. Sixty thousand signatures from thirty-eight counties are needed by July 16 to be successful.

Also, a new five-year farm program is in place, and the Nebraska State Grange sent a resolution to the National Grange recommending broadening of the Conservation Security Program. Getting more funds for the Conservation Security Program was a victory for Nebraska.