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Conservation & Natural Resources
Agriculture
Policy Statement
Agriculture is the backbone of America. It is the base of our economy and an important reason that we’ve enjoyed so many decades of prosperity as a nation.
American farmers and ranchers are the foundation of an abundant, safe and efficient food source. The Grange continues to pledge its support for rural America and family-owned and operated farms and ranches.
All in agriculture must find common ground and recognize that there are different business plans and practices that both protect the environment while
providing people with the food fiber and fuel they need. If we fail to unify on the big issues and fail to educate our fellow citizens about the reality of agriculture the anti-agriculture groups will win. If we continue to allow these groups to spread fear and fact less propaganda, American farmers will be robbed of the ability to feed ourselves and the world. We must engage those who speak against us and work together to educate our national, state and local leaders on the vitality of our daily work.
Farmers and ranchers have depended on increasing production year after year in order to make a decent living. We feel that the farmer must consider alternative products and markets. There has never been a more crucial time in agriculture to have a unified voice. We must work together with others in a cooperative effort to advocate for agriculture. We have the responsibility to educate and convince all people in this country that they are receiving something of value in return for their support of agriculture.
Due to the difficult economic situation of our federal and state governments, the Grange, like other agricultural groups, should be vigilant in focusing attention on the 2012 Farm Bill. Some of the areas of concern will be in the following:
1. We must insure that credit is available to farmers regardless of size.
2. Rural development issues must continue to be a priority in order to provide necessary infrastructure to get our product from field to table.
3. Research and funding of the Extension Program must be continued if we wish to ensure that innovative practices and new tools beneficial to agriculture and society are available.
4. The creation, improvement, and implementation of both primary and secondary sources of energy through agriculture must remain a priority to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
5. Crop insurance and disaster relief must be adequately funded in order to serve as a primary way of helping farmers deal with unforeseen weather and market fluctuations.
Free trade agreements are not always fair when some segments of the economy are sacrificed. Free trade agreements have been negotiated on a bi-lateral and regional basis, which have the potential to be harmful to farmers and the economy. We need to be aware of, and educate ourselves, on this major issue. The National Grange advocates for the creation of trade agreements that will be beneficial and flexible while protecting not only agriculture but also the American dream. The movement of agricultural products across our country as well as exports to foreign countries is vital to the economy of the nation.
The National Grange must continue to articulate our farm policy goals and then to communicate those goals to our elected leaders in Congress. It behooves America to maintain the family farm system as the cornerstone of agriculture. We must promote policies which allow our current generation of family farmers to retire with dignity, and draw on their past experiences to attract new generations of family farmers.
We must be aware of the significance to U.S. agriculture of the advancements being made in other countries in their agriculture production and export technology. We must advocate for the education of our members and the general public on agricultural issues.
With the rapid population growth in our country, it is important that our rural areas are prepared for the influx of new residents. Progressive policies will be needed that will allow people to maintain the lifestyle that they desire, while preserving the character of rural America. Growth will place added pressure on the availability of public services, and we must ensure that these needed services are available to rural citizens. Having said that, we must also ensure that we have adequate land and water available for agriculture in the future.
Farmers continue to adopt new technologies such as GPS precision agriculture production practices and multi-stacked genetically-modified crop varieties. They are employing double or even multi cropping and grazing strategies to increase total output per acre. Livestock producers are controlling costs by relying more on alternative feed sources such as forage/grass and distillers dried grains (DDGs), a byproduct of ethanol production.
Occasionally, a person operating contrary to accepted practices is shown to the public and it is either implied or stated that this is the way things are done in order to change or even ban certain common practices. Many do not understand the significance American agriculture plays in our economy or its importance by providing a safe and plentiful source of food.
The issue of food safety is becoming an increasing concern to the public. We understand the need to provide safe and healthy food for ourselves and the rest of the world; however, we must ensure that there is not an overreaction by the government in developing rules and regulations that make it more difficult or impossible for farmers to operate efficiently.
One of the major issues facing animal agriculture in our country is the effort for certain “Animal Rights” groups to define “Humane Treatment” of animals. The National Grange should work together with other like groups, similar to the Ohio initiative, to ensure that sound science is used in determining humane treatment of animals.
The National Grange supports a federal policy to allow the use of biotechnology in agriculture. We recognize that genetic engineering of plants and animals has already had a positive impact by increasing the availability of food, preservation qualities, and decreasing the environmental impact of agriculture.
The National Grange insists that the Environmental Protection Agency rely only on up-to-date scientific methodology and real-world data in making accurate assessments of the risk to human health posed by the use of pesticides/herbicides. We favor expanded approval of generic pesticides and herbicides for use in agricultural production.
The Grange has always been a strong advocate for agriculture in the United States. We strongly support the research of many different and new crops. Some of these products include wood pulp, bio-char and switch grass. The Grange supports the education and research of these and other new agricultural products.
Many proposals are being put forward to control the volatility of milk prices to farmers. The current structure has been in place for many years and does not appear to be an adequate method to ensure farmers a fair price for milk. The National Grange should be actively involved to ensure that the best possible method of milk pricing is adopted.
The National Grange urges Congress and the Office of Management and Budget to consider the administrative costs in implementing government programs affecting the agricultural producer. The funds appropriated for these programs should be used to benefit the producer and not to support the administration. We need to continue to support the producer-approved commodity check-off program.
The National Grange encourages increased participation with youth organizations such as 4-H and FFA from the local to the national level, to draw on and develop the wonderful leadership abilities of these people. Local Granges should be encouraged to work in partnership with cooperative extension or other local agencies. We strongly support the work of cooperative extension and agricultural experiment stations and ask Granges to support funding of these departments at all levels of government. We as Grange members must enlist our farm, rural and urban neighbors to join us as Grange members and increase our voice in the legislature.
The National Grange supports Country of Origin Labeling and strongly urges the implementation of the program on all food products by the USDA. The National Grange encourages educating the consumer on the benefits of this program. The traceability and point of origin need to be a coordinated effort by the USDA and the Department of Homeland Security in order to reduce the administrative burden.
The National Grange is well positioned to address the constantly changing challenges that arise with agricultural and rural issues. By adopting innovative policies, the Grange can play a pivotal leadership role in providing support and guidance to farmers and rural citizens, and enhance our efforts to maintain the viability of agriculture as a significant economic force in our country.
We believe that Congress should look into conflicting legislative reporting dates in different sections of the USDA, such as Farm Services Agency and Risk Management Board. We should encourage that the agencies within USDA work more closely to reduce duplication of record keeping and reporting by farmers. These offices should be diligent in making sure the information they collect is made available to decision makers.
The National Grange believes in our democratic process. Our answer must be to join with all interested parties to educate the public about the realities of agriculture and the principles of nature. Legislators, judges, and our citizens need to understand how and why certain methods are used and how agriculture is an essential component in protecting and improving the environment.
Since agriculture is an economic generator and farmers are an important part of our country, as what they raise feeds, clothes and houses us, plus many of the products we use every day begin on a farm, the National Grange should encourage Congress to establish a “Thank A Farmer Day.”
Citizenship & Public Affairs
Policy Statement
We the citizens of the United States of America are privileged to live in a country where the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights guarantees each of us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights came at a price and we should honor those that paid the ultimate price and continue to do so, on the battlefields of foreign lands. We must ensure our veterans are cared for; this includes access and support of continued education, job training and needed health care.
We must be ever mindful of the blessings and responsibilities of freedom given to us by others. We have the privilege to fly the American flag. The Stars and Stripes are the ultimate American symbol standing for freedom and our history. Our flag should be flown with honor, dignity, and proper respect. We believe the Pledge of Allegiance should be taught and recited in our schools, public functions, and whenever meetings are held. There are other flags we can fly in addition to the American flag to honor our service people such as the MIA flag and Honor & Remember flag. These are a nice tribute to fly in a subservient position to our American flag.
Our legislatures should continue to open their session with prayer and add a moment of silence to remember our Veterans because it is their sacrifices that guarantee our right to freedom and religion. We can honor them by strongly resisting those who would remove the religious symbols, slogans and beliefs of all religion from our public property, including the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial Cross.
As citizens of America, we have the privilege and responsibility to elect the best person for the job, whether it is a local official or the President of the United States. We believe our elected officials need to be held to a higher standard in the political as well as their personal life. Integrity and morality were important to our founding fathers and ensure the survival of the USA. While national and state governments are necessary, we must remind our elected officials and government employees that many issues are ours to solve. The United States
must not spend more than we receive over the longterm. We need to communicate to every elected official at the federal, state, and local level that our nation has called for change because of the individual freedoms each American treasures, not because of the hope for government handouts. Fiscal responsibility must be a top priority.
We rely on the different branches of the government to act in an ethical manner for the best interest of its citizenry. In the course of their legislative duties we urge them to read and understand the bills before them, refrain from attaching frivolous and unnecessary costs to the bill and remember the taxpayers that they serve.
There are many important issues facing our country today, among them are jobs, healthcare, taxes, land preservation, business regulation and climate change. We believe that these issues should be approached with logic, facts, and open debate rather than as partisan issues. We in the Grange are proud of our non-partisan principle and believe that it is the best solution to reaching the important decisions that must be made.
In support of free enterprise we cannot continue to raise taxes without harming the initiative and strong work ethic of the average American. To insure continued success of Americans competing in the world, public and private partnership should be created to ensure that affordable high-speed broadband access is available to all.
America is a nation of communities. The things that directly benefit most citizens are based in our local community. Schools, healthcare, jobs, charity and daily recreation are provided not by the federal or state government, but by local people working together. When people focus on working together within our local communities our quality of life increases. The Grange believes that community is the essential building block of our great nation. It is to us that falls the task of building our community, whether supporting our neighbor in time of disaster or working with them in a community garden. Today’s challenges are different. Grange members must respond with faith, hope, and charity to bring people together.
Conservation & Natural Resources
Policy Statement
The National Grange recognizes that the protection of the environment and the conservation of our natural resources are vital national priorities if our country is to remain a pleasant, healthy, and rewarding place to live. However, the zealous pursuit of unrealistic and unnecessary environmental and conservation goals can cause not only economic damage to industries that are important to our country, but they can also distort the important role that private property rights play in maintaining our liberty. We do not believe that Americans must sacrifice their property or surrender their constitutional rights in order to preserve our environment. Property rights should incorporate greater expectations of fairness and due process for individuals within the context of our relationship with government and society.
We insist that the protection for private property ownership derived from the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions and the common law be vigorously protected. We believe in limiting the role of the federal government in setting national land use goals and priorities to ensure the preservation of farmland for
agricultural purposes. Adequate and full compensation should be paid in all cases of the taking of private property by the government or under the color of
government authority, including, but not limited to, government grazing permits, water easements and areas designated as critical habitats for endangered species.
We need to increase our effort to be a source of outreach, leadership, and education by encouraging the support of U.S. agriculture as part of the solution
to the energy crisis.
We need to encourage increased efforts to educate the public, and in particular, children in school, about the continued importance of the right to own property and the responsibility to protect our most vital resource: America’s farmland.
We believe the continued increase in the price of fuels has had an injurious effect on the welfare of the family farm and rural America. Our dependency on foreign oil presents a fragile, ever-changing dilemma. The increased use of alternative fuels would mean less dependency on foreign oil and increased markets for agricultural crops. There are ways for agricultural commodities to be processed to blend with petroleum to provide cleaner and less expensive fuel. The economic and environmental benefits to society of ethanol and agricultural oil-based fuels are being proven. We propose the following action plan to address this crisis:
1. Support legislation to enact tax incentives for manufacturers of blended fuels to expand and develop more refineries.
2. Accelerate any necessary funding for research and development of ample and affordable alternative fuels, ensuring their compatibility to internal combustion engines with incentives being provided to companies that convert their equipment to the use of blended fuels that will help reduce our dependency on imported petroleum and reduce air pollution. We recognize use
of ethanol in internal combustion engines creates maintenance issues and recommend additional study to determine how to further its use. However, nonethanol fuel should still be made available until these maintenance issues have been resolved.
3. Work vigorously with state and national legislators to advocate on behalf of consumers and to take any steps necessary to maintain reasonable petroleum prices and curb increasing economic inflation.
The National Grange encourages wider use of wind energy with governmental subsidy support in appropriate areas suited to sustaining wind power development. The equipment used in production of wind power must be inspected by local utility companies under the guidelines of state public utility commissions or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and when decommissioned, the wind power generation equipment must be removed and the landscape returned to its natural condition. The National Grange supports respective regional representation in the appointment of qualified individuals to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The Grange, at all levels, also demands responsible stewardship of our natural resources from all who own or use them. Responsible stewardship recognizes a balance between use and preservation. The National Grange supports coordination among federal, state, and local governments when developing land use management plans for federal lands. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the customs, culture and economic stability of the local area must be respected and preserved.
The National Grange supports overturning the decision of the 6th Federal Circuit Court in the case of The National Cotton Council, et al. v. United States Environmental Protection Agency regarding the application of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits (NPDES) to pesticides.
The Grange recognizes the importance and protection of all watersheds. We also recognize that major watersheds do not adhere to boundaries of private and public lands. There are significant differences in the various watersheds throughout our nation. The National Grange opposes any mandate that suggests all watersheds are to meet the same water quality standards. The Grange also opposes the “locking up” of watersheds or portions thereof for a single use by any person or agency, especially public lands that have historically been utilized in the growing and harvesting of timber, forage, and other renewable resources.
The National Grange urges any farmer interested in entering into a contract for nutrient trading to investigate carefully all of the potential benefits and risks involved before entering into such a contract.
The 1973 Endangered Species Act may have major impediments to sound environmental practices and natural resource management. The National Grange must continue to work closely with the National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition to obtain final passage of Endangered Species Act reform.
We believe all Americans should share equitably in the cost of species conservation. Cooperative efforts with states and local governments, businesses and individual landowners must be encouraged and current disincentives in the law must be removed. The National Grange will work to ensure the cost of preserving species not be allowed to fall unfairly on individuals and communities.
Education & Health
Policy Statement — Education
Education is a crucial element in the long-term success of our nation. In order for our country to remain competitive around the globe, our nation’s children must receive a world-class education.
We must encourage our youth to excel. It doesn’t matter if they plan to go to college, a trade school, or enter the work force; they need to understand the world around them. A quality education opens minds to new possibilities while encouraging students to think for themselves. We also must encourage our young people to learn and grow in school in a direction and pace most appropriate to their abilities. In the technologically advanced society of today, we have an extremely structured educational system that often has trouble recognizing and adapting to the needs of each unique student. We must return the power of education to parents, teachers, and local school boards. Parents must be made an essential part of the decision process. We must find ways to reward teachers who encourage and empower their students to become successful.
The National Grange supports public education and the idea of strengthening and improving the public education system because we believe every child should be able to receive a high quality public education. We support the continued collaboration with the Organization Concerned about Rural Education, the National School Boards Association and other educational associations to seek improvements to the No Child Left Behind Act and investigate alternative funding streams. We believe that all federally mandated programs be funded appropriately by the federal government to the extent that the requirements of these programs not cause an unrealistic burden on the state and local school systems.
The National Grange supports the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act (SRSCA) while working on a long-term solution for rural forest counties and schools.
The National Grange supports and urges school districts to reduce the teacher to pupil ratio in the classroom in all levels of education.
The National Grange supports a viable alternative to a traditional education. Further, we support the use of a federally regulated curriculum in order to ensure that non-traditional students receive a high quality education.
The Grange believes that every student should be taught civics and how our American liberties are connected with the basic premise of capitalism. If we do not educate students on America’s guiding principles and how they relate to the real world, we will have an increasing number of uneducated voters making decisions with little understanding of the impact those decisions have on every member of society.
We support schools using agricultural based curriculums such as Ag in the Classroom and Food for America. We encourage the study of cooperatives to be
included in these curriculums.
The National Grange urges local schools to remove disruptive and violent students from the classroom and provide alternate education until the underlying cause has been corrected. We further urge the reform of state and federal regulations so that schools actively addressing this problem are not at risk of being classified as failing schools.
The National Grange encourages school districts to include Armed Forces representatives at a school’s Career Day.
The National Grange encourages Granges at all levels to become actively involved in the educational process of students and community members in the fight against tobacco and alcohol abuse. We also support educating the American public about the misuse of legal and illegal drugs.
We strongly encourage Grange members nationwide to play an active role in their local school systems and communities. It is essential for our members to invest in our children’s education through volunteering, the donation of school supplies (such as the third grade dictionary program) and exposure to volunteerism and community service. These contributions will help us remain positive role models for school children and increase the awareness of our organization.
Policy Statement — Health
We as individuals need to take responsibility for our own health. With the cost of health care coverage and prescription drugs on the rise, we must advocate affordable health insurance for all. Equitable billing requirements and reimbursements for medical, dental, and alternative health care treatments are essential. We support a cap to be in place on malpractice suits to help reduce the cost of health care and make it possible for physicians, especially those in rural areas, to continue practicing medicine.
Prescription drugs should be affordable to all Americans; we need to be mindful of safety. Drugs manufactured in the United States must meet stringent FDA standards. However, we have no guarantee that imported prescription drugs will meet these standards.
The National Grange urges that restrictions be put on the advertisement of prescription drugs.
The National Grange supports the effort to reform Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rules so that unused controlled prescription medications can be disposed of by a broader range of professionals. We encourage a study to determine the most economical and safest means of disposal for these substances.
The National Grange encourages broader consumer education for Medicare recipients so that they can better determine any discrepancies in billing in an effort to help reduce fraud.
The National Grange recommends increased efforts to combat Medicare fraud, mismanagement and high administrative costs.
Defective and contaminated products imported from other countries are of great concern to all Americans. We encourage government agencies and consumer safety advocates to be diligent in safety inspections on imported products and report all findings to the public. We also encourage consumers to make educated and wise purchasing decisions. We further encourage the government to require the country of origin to be clearly labeled on all imported products.
The National Grange recognizes the importance of proper nutrition in combating obesity and the diseases that come from it. Educational programs for all ages should be provided to encourage healthy eating and to teach the benefits of exercise and reduced caloric intake. We encourage schools to take a proactive stance by offering healthy snacks, such as milk in their vending machines, and by having an ongoing physical education program.
The National Grange urges its’ members to write their federal legislators to take a firm stand against the elimination of cost of living increases to social security benefits and reduce the cuts to Medicare.
The National Grange encourage its’ members to work with organizations that work with persons of special needs to provide assistance of preparing ordinary household appliances in their efforts to live an ordinary life.
In addition, we encourage that the National Grange lobby the legislature to ensure that any National Health Care legislation pertains only to health care.
Labor & Judiciary
Policy Statement
We the citizens of the United States of America are privileged to live in a country where the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights guarantee each of us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights came at a price and we should honor those who paid the ultimate price and continue to do so on the battlefields of foreign lands. We must ensure our veterans are cared for; this includes access and support of continuededucation, job training and needed health care.
We must be ever mindful of the blessings and responsibilities of freedom given to us by others. We have the privilege to fly the American flag. The stars and stripes are the ultimate American symbol standing for freedom and our history. Our flag should be flown with honor, dignity, and proper respect. We believe the Pledge of Allegiance should be taught and recited in our schools, public functions, and whenever meetings are held. There are other flags we can fly in addition to the American flag to honor our service people, such as the MIA flag and Honor & Remember flag. These are a nice tribute to fly in a subservient position to our American flag.
Our legislatures should continue to open their session with prayer and add a moment of silence to remember our Veterans, because it is their sacrifices that guarantee our rights to freedom and religion. We can honor them by strongly resisting those who would remove the religious symbols, slogans and beliefs of all religion from our public property, including the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial Cross.
As citizens of America, we have the privilege and responsibility to elect the best person for the job, whether it is a local official or the President of the United States. We believe our elected officials need to be held to a higher standard in their political, as well as their personal, lives. Integrity and morality were important to our founding fathers and now ensure the survival of the USA. While national and state governments are necessary, we must remind our elected officials and government employees that many issues are ours to solve. The United States must not spend more than we receive over the long-term. We need to communicate to every elected official at the federal, state, and local levels that our nation has called for change because of the individual freedoms each American treasures, not because of the hope for government handouts. Fiscal responsibility must be a top priority.
We rely on the different branches of the government to act in an ethical manner for the best interest of its citizenry. In the course of their legislative duties, we urge them to read and understand the bills before them and to refrain from attaching frivolous and unnecessary costs to a bill, remembering the taxpayers that they serve.
There are many important issues facing our country today, among them are jobs, healthcare, taxes, land preservation, business regulation and climate change. We believe that these issues should be approached with logic, facts, and open debate rather than as partisan issues. We in the Grange are proud of our non-partisan principle and believe that it is the best solution to reaching the important decisions that must be made. In support of free enterprise, we cannot continue to raise taxes without harming the initiative and strong work ethic of the average American. To insure continued success of Americans competing in the world, public and private partnership should be created to insure that affordable high-speed broadband access is available to all.
America is a nation of communities. The things that directly benefit most citizens are based in our local community. Schools, healthcare, jobs, charity and daily recreation are provided not by the federal or state government, but by local people working together. When people focus on working together within our local communities our quality of life increases. The Grange believes that community is the essential building block of our great nation. It is to us that falls the task of building our community, whether supporting our neighbor in time of disaster or working with them in a community garden. Today’s challenges are different. Grange members must respond with faith, hope, and charity to bring people together.
Taxation & Transportation
Policy Statement — Taxation
The Grange has a long and consistent history in support of sound fiscal policy. We believe budgets should be balanced. We recognize there are times or circumstances to support deficit spending and the creation of debt, but that must be the result of a careful evaluation of the need and what delay will cost in the future, or how the delay will impact the current need. However, we have a grave concern about the tremendous increase in the federal deficit and the impact this will have on future generations.
The Grange supports taxing policies that levy both personal and business taxes based on ability to pay. We seek a simpler set of tax regulations. Previous federal tax reform efforts have resulted in more confusion. Many millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of hours are spent each year to file tax returns. This is an often overlooked cost to our tax collection system.
For most farmers, and small business owners, their farms and businesses are their largest retirement assets. We need new tax policies that assure our current
generation of family farmers and business owners are allowed to retire with dignity and that their productive resources are transferred to a new generation of family farmers and small business owners. Until such time, as the estate tax is completely abolished, we support passage of legislation such as HR 3524 which was introduced in 2009, titled the Family Farm Preservation and Conservation Estate Tax Act, or other similar legislation which would exempt farms and ranches from federal estate taxes after the death of its owner, as long as the ownership stays in the family.
We support user taxes with revenue applied to the intended programs. We support oversight/review of programs to eliminate spending on programs that have lost their value. Programs, once authorized, should receive adequate appropriations. We oppose nonfunded and under-funded mandates.
In all our dealings with government, and in our own fiscal policy actions, Grangers should follow and advocate for sound principles of fiscal policy.
Policy Statement — Transportation
Throughout our history, the Grange has had a vested interest in transportation issues. Although there are many different modes of transportation in existence today, the Grange supports the continued improvement of the existing infrastructure. This has to occur if we are to economically improve our current
standard of living.
The National Grange continues to support federal surface transportation legislation that would benefit rural America.
The National Grange supports training at all levels of pertinent governmental agencies to detect and deal with potential acts and devices of terrorism in all methods of transportation.
We continue to support laws requiring drivers to slow down and move over while passing an emergency vehicle that is stopped with lights flashing. We believe this should become law in all 50 states.
We believe all drivers need to be fully responsible for their driving and guard against distractions from devices such as cell phones, texting or Internet communication devices or other such peripheral equipment. We support legislation be enacted with the aim of eliminating distractions for all drivers.
The National Grange realizes the United States has the best postal service in the world. However, we urge the postal service to vigorously pursue ways to keep the same quality service and to institute procedures to maintain the highest level of safety for the employees and patrons throughout the entire system. We strongly urge the continuation of the current six-day postal delivery service.
The crucial link in providing universal postal service throughout rural America is our nation’s rural mail carriers. We pledge our support to fight to maintain rural free delivery and to defend the interest of the dedicated mail carriers that make rural free delivery a fact of life for millions of rural Americans.
We encourage the public to become familiar with the services available through the Post Office regarding the availability of military flat rate boxes for APOs and FPOs.
Granges should also strongly consider partnering to provide 55 Alive classes or similar programs.
The National Grange encourages the development of fuel-efficient vehicles to reduce our dependency on foreign oil suppliers. We support the production of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) natural gas vehicles.
Hybrid vehicles present a potential danger to emergency responders. Special training should be provided to avoid the potential dangers. Automobile manufacturers should be encouraged to minimize hazards from hybrid vehicles to emergency responders.
The profits generated by the oil companies can and should be used to find and fund alternative sources of energy for the country. Therefore, the National Grange opposes any attempt to impose a windfall profits tax. We encourage the development of increased refining capacity to avoid extreme price increases for fuel during natural disasters.