While American agricultural producers and the nation as a whole have enjoyed several prosperous years, Bill Steel, president of the National Grange, sees serious challenges ahead for rural residents and family farmers. Steel made his observations as the opening speaker at the National Grange’s 141st Annual Convention.

As Congress continues its debate about the five-year 2007 Farm Bill, Steel had several concrete suggestions that would make federal farm programs more fair and accessible for the average farm family. “A successful 2007 Farm Bill should provide additional resources to assist family farmers and ranchers in managing risks and disasters that are beyond their control,” Steel said. “Beyond risk management, it must also incorporate strong legal protections for producers who rely on traditional commodity markets or contract production from the antitrust threats that arise anywhere along the production and distribution chain – from farmer to consumer.”

Steel noted that in previous Farm Bills most of the federal help went to the largest of America’s commercial farms producing only certain commodities. The Grange has long insisted, however, “that all agricultural producers should expect to receive some direct benefits of federal farm programs and/or international trade agreements,” he said. “The 2007 Farm Bill should provide credit, risk management, income support and environmental stewardship programs for family farmers and ranchers regardless of the crop or livestock they produce. Farm programs should encourage sound conservation techniques, preserve prime agricultural land in the face of strong development and preservationist pressures, increase commercial opportunities to produce fuel and energy from our nation’s farms, assure compliance with our existing international trade agreements and facilitate the introduction of cost saving and environmentally beneficial new technologies for all segments of the agricultural sector.”

During the convention President Steel announced his retirement from the Grange’s top elected position. A lifetime active member, Steel was first elected as national president in 2003.

The 141st Annual Convention of the National Grange held in Reno, NV, Nov. 13- 16, 2007 is history. This year, the National Grange considered 216 separate policy resolutions. Of those, 156 resolutions were adopted or covered by present policy, 58 failed, were withdrawn or returned to the state and two were referred for further study.

Agriculture and Rural Development

Grange delegates called for maintaining the family farm as the cornerstone of U.S. agriculture. The delegates also reaffirmed the Grange’s support of agriculture education at all levels, particularly cooperative extension services and land grant universities.

The National Grange urged adoption of the following 2007 Farm Bill policies: Support farm entrepreneurship, rural development and better diets with special provisions to support small farms. Help farmers and ranchers manage risk. Compensate farmers and ranchers for environmental stewardship and increase effectiveness of conservation programs, including working lands programs. Provide financial protection for producers of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, greens and fish. Oppose federal price supports for Mexican sugar. Reduce administrative costs of farm programs. Support measures that increase price disclosure and market transparency.

The National Grange supports establishing minimum prices for milk paid to farmers. Grange delegates pledged to close the pricing disparity between liquid milk and manufacturing milk and supported expansion of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program. The National Grange delegates also urged an investigation of misleading claims about organic and rBST-free milk and action to enforce truthful dairy advertising.

National Grange delegates supported voluntary cancellation of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts only if the landowner agrees to repay the last 3 years of CRP payments and called for exempting CRP payments from IRS self employment taxes for retired farmers. Grange delegates asked USDA to control noxious weeds on Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program acres. Finally, Grange delegates opposed “locking up” watersheds for single uses, especially public lands that have historically produced renewable resources.

The National Grange will support legislation to guarantee that the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will be a voluntary program and supports tax incentives for voluntary participation in NAIS.

National Grange strongly supported agriculture biotechnology. The National Grange also supported protecting farmers against liability claims due to “pollen drift.”

The National Grange voted to support allowing all farmers in a designated county to be eligible for federal or state agriculture disaster assistance programs. The National Grange further supported moving the deadlines for crop insurance premiums from October 30 until November 30. National Grange also called for more honeybee colony disappearance research, as well as an indemnity program to reimburse bee farmers for loss of their colonies.

The National Grange delegates called on law enforcement agencies to prevent attacks against agricultural producers, agricultural research facilities, and food processors. The National Grange supported increased funding for the inspection of imported food products and ingredients.

Citizenship Issues

National Grange delegates opposed any changes in the wording of the Pledge of Allegiance and supported the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the National Anthem only in English. The delegates also supported requiring all United States Flags to be domestically manufactured.

The Grange encouraged new strategies to deal with the rural methamphetamine problem. The Grange supported maximum penalties for child predators. The Grange also supported rural victim advocacy programs to address domestic violence and the rights of victims of violent crimes.

Grange delegates called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recover or salvage all temporary housing deployed during future disasters. The Grange supported establishing a national identity, tag, collar, or coat for “seeing eye” dogs or other trained service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Honoring Veterans

Grange delegates called for improving existing veterans healthcare facilities, adding mobile clinics for veterans, and designating additional beds in municipal healthcare facilities for veterans. Tinnitus, a painful inner ear condition, is widespread among veterans. The Veterans Administration limits disability ratings for Tinnitus at 10 percent. Grange members are asking that the 10 percent disability rating be allowed for each ear if a veteran has Tinnitus in both ears.

Telecommunications Issues

The Grange strongly supported expansion of broadband, cellular and advanced telecommunications services in our rural communities, including video choice legislation. The Grange vowed to support new regulations that require satellite broadcasters to offer different packages of “local” channels to rural customers.

Because most low-income households do not receive benefits they are entitled to from the Universal Service Fund, the Grangers voted to ask the Federal Communications Commission to approve applications from wireless providers to provide “Lifeline” service for low-income households.

Energy Issues

Grange delegates proposed to support increasing reliance on renewable energy: Support tax incentives to expand blended biofuel production. Accelerate development of affordable biofuels. Provide incentives to convert existing equipment to use blended biofuels. Advocate for reasonable petroleum prices to curb inflation. Encourage wind power development. Grange delegates also called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies to “develop and strengthen regulations regarding the location of Liquefied Natural Gas terminals.”

Education and Health Concerns

National Grange supported amending the “No Child Left Behind” Act to make it more responsive to local education concerns and budgets. In response to a school in Maine that offered its students contraceptives, the Grangers passed a strong statement opposing programs for the distribution of contraceptive products by school personnel to middle school students.

Grange delegates called on Congress to address the safety of imported products by enacting “far-reaching changes to increase the inspection rate and level of safety for all foods, imported drugs, and imported manufactured goods.”

The National Grange now supports regulations requiring that “any establishment serving food clearly inform patrons if their food contains peanuts, is exposed to peanuts, or has been cooked in peanut oil.”

National Grange opposed reducing payments to physicians and providers under Medicare that would increase burdens on patients. Finally, delegates approved expanding Medicare coverage for hearing exams, hearing aids, routine eye exams and eyewear.

Immigration and Trade

The Grange urged Congress to reform immigration laws. Employers who unknowingly hire illegal workers should not be fined, until federal authorities make tools available to verify immigrant worker documents. However, those who knowingly hire illegal workers should be punished. Illegal immigrants should not be given amnesty or any advantage over those immigrating through proper channels. Finally, laws that allow children of two illegal immigrant parents to receive U.S. citizenship should be changed to stop this practice.

The National Grange will call upon the U.S. government to combat trade-distorting practices that create an unfair incentive for other nations’ exports. Trade agreements must be carefully overseen by Congress to ensure that the sovereignty of the United States is not diminished and our constitutional rights are protected.

Transportation Concerns

Grange delegates supported standardizing the practice of numbering highway exits to correspond with the mile markers on all interstate highways. The Grangers also opposed any tolls on any interstate highway.

The Grange will petition the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to “scrutinize their passenger screening/security contractors to appropriately provide adequate safe airport screening/security during hours of operation.”

Delegates also opposed legislation authorizing the Federal Aviation Administration to establish fees for air traffic control activities, services, facilities, and equipment that increases user fees and taxes for general aviation such as crop dusting, pipeline patrol, power line patrol, and forest fire patrol.

Taxation Concerns

The National Grange supported abolishing the federal estate tax, while retaining current provisions for a full stepped up basis on inheritances. The National Grange further supported an exemption of $5 million per person until the federal estate tax is repealed. Grange delegates support a permanent tax deduction for sales taxes in states that do not have a state income tax.

Celia Gould

The emerging markets of China, India, Mexico and several other countries present a tremendous opportunity for American agriculture according to Celia Gould, director of Idaho’s State Department of Agriculture. The agriculture director had just returned the previous week from an 11-day trade mission to China. “Every state — and agriculture in general — needs to be looking seriously at international marketing,” she said.

There are many other exciting possibilities for agricultural producers besides foreign sales, Gould said. There is a growing interest in biofuels nationwide. The nationwide push to have 25 percent of our energy needs met by domestic renewable sources by 2025 (dubbed “25x’25”) will be good for agriculture overall.

Another opportunity for agriculture is rising consumer interest in fresh food products, especially organic foods. “People want to know about the safety of their food. They want to know that it’s produced by their farmers, how it’s being produced, what it’s doing to the environment -- and we have an obligation to tell that story. But we also have an obligation to tell that story in a way that is not detrimental to our conventional farmers.”

Despite all these prospects, some challenges remain for the agricultural community with perhaps the greatest one being the disconnect between urban residents and family farms. She feels that agriculture needs to communicate more aggressively with city residents in order to build bridges and forge alliances. Somehow we need to assure the city residents that we want them to share the open spaces that we preserve as farms and ranches. We want to preserve this lifestyle for future generations.