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Subject: Fw: FARMERS GATHERTO DECRY FARM POLICIES AND FARM BUREAU
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-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Ritchie <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, January 10, 2000 9:44 PM
Subject: FARMERS GATHERTO DECRY FARM POLICIES AND FARM BUREAU
>
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>>From List: US Farm Crisis ([log in to unmask])
>Date Posted: 01/10/2000
>Posted by: [log in to unmask]
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>
><fontfamily><param>SCRIBA LET PLAIN</param><bigger>
>
>
></bigger></fontfamily><bigger><bold><fontfamily><param>ARIAL</param>FOR
>IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
>CONTACT: </fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>ARIAL</param>520.623.9653
>ext. 3
>
>January 10, 2000
> Scotty Johnson (GREEN)
>
>
>
><bold><italic>Family Farmers Fighting to Remain
>Competitive:</italic></bold>
>
><bold>LEADING FARMING INTERESTS GATHER IN HOUSTON TO DECRY FARM
>POLICIES AND FARM BUREAU
>
></bold>
>
> Houston, TX =96 Leaders from national family farm groups gathered here
>today at the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation
>(AFBF) to discuss the plight of the family farmer and rancher. At a
>press luncheon held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston, the groups
>outlined the economic crisis in rural America. Speakers at the event
>highlighted failed farm policies, offered solutions, and raised serious
>questions about AFBF business connections to insurance and
>agribusiness. The luncheon event was cosponsored by Global Resource
>Action Center for the Environment (GRACE), Grass Roots Environmental
>Effectiveness Network (GREEN), and the National Family Farm
>Coalition.
>
>
> In discussing the policies affecting family farmers in the United
>States, John Hansen, President of the Nebraska Farmers Union said,
>"The 1996 Farm Bill has created the largest economic depression in
>rural America since the Great Depression. The economic hardship on
>agriculture means that farm and ranch families are in a tremendous
>amount of pain. Farm foreclosures continue to grow, divorce is
>epidemic in rural America. The number of stress-related suicides
>continue to increase The rate of beginning farmers continue to
>decline and the 96' Farm Bill is the reason for the disastrous decline
>in farm commodity prices and farm income. Yet House and Senate leaders
>fail to respond appropriately to the growing disaster."
>
>
> "The Jury is in" said Bill Christison, President of the National
>Family Farm Coalition. "'Freedom to Farm,' genetically manipulated
>organisms, and bad trade policy have brought devastation to family farm
> agriculture. If any of us are to survive, we must have a new
>direction in agriculture policy. We urge the American Farm Bureau and
>the commodity organizations to start supporting agriculture policy that
> will return profit to grassroots family farmers."
>
>
> The groups charged that policies initiated by the AFBF hurt small farm
>and ranching operations while the Farm Bureau claims to be the voice
>for family farms. Citing examples ranging from agribusiness
>concentration to environmental issues, the speakers expressed that the
>Farm Bureau leadership must represent the farmer they claim to support.
>
>
> Karen Hudson, Farm Bureau member and spokesperson for the GRACE
>Factory Farm Project said, "Billion dollar corporations must not be
>allowed to ruin family farms and the environment. What is emerging
>is a patchwork of rural injustice and economic disaster. In my state,
>Farm Bureau leadership has earned a new name-- 'Factory Farm Bureau.'
>And 'Factory Farm Bureau' it will remain until they stop destroying
>the family farmer they claim to represent."
>
> Fred Stokes, Farm Bureau member and president of the Organization for
>Competitive Markets (OCM) said, " I have great empathy for the
>devastation and misery of farm families but I am even more concerned
>about the looming new feudal order in rural America." Responding to
>allegations that Farm Bureau leadership has been corrupted by
>agribusiness interests, Stokes said, "I am a Farm Bureau member and I
>want to know if Farm Bureau is a farm organization that incidentally
>sells insurance, or an agribusiness conglomerate who is farming the
>farmer.
>
>
>
> Bill Weida, economist and advisor to the GRACE Factory Farm Project
>said, "The Farm Bureau has substantial investments in large corporate
>agribusiness . As a result, they have chosen to lobby against small
>farmers and in favor of agribusiness to protect their investments. The
>Farm Bureau should stop masquerading as a representative of small
>farmers and own up to their real role as a mouthpiece for corporate
>interests."
>
>
> In addition to citing problems, many positive solutions were offered.
> Sue Jarrett, a cattle rancher from Colorado said, "Farmers need to get
>out and work with consumers and environmentalists to build bridges.
>As a producer I was always taught to give the customer what they want.
>Seems to me, these days customers want organic family farm produce.
>Jarrett, who sits on the USDA Advisory Small Farm Committee said,
>"Consumers don't want factory farms and nameless corporations making
>their food. They're getting suspicious of GMO's too. I say we give
>them what they want.
>
>
> Scotty Johnson, moderator and spokesman for GREEN, the GrassRoots
>Environmental Effectiveness Network said, "The farm policy being
>advanced by farm leaders, and by Farm Bureau is un-American and
>irresponsible. It destroys free-markets, families and rural
>communities. It is eroding precious topsoil, polluting water,
>destroying habitats and sending ecological diversity into extinction.
>This is not feeding the world. This is starving the future - and the
>future will not thank us."
>
>
> As the panel adjourned, farmers rallied and vowed to go immediately to
>the resolutions session at the American Farm Bureau Federation
>convention next door. Farm Bureau leaders from many states vowed to
>exercise their democratic rights and to challenge leadership to
>change. Their rallying cry for the day was "Vote Family Farm". The
>final voting session of the American Farm Bureau Federation board of
>directors will be on Thursday, January 13th, 2000. "We will be
>holding their feet to the fire to make sure policy is upheld.", said a
>Farm Bureau member who chose not to be identified.
>
>
>
>The speakers will be available for follow-up
>interviews.</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param><bigger><bigger>n</bigger></bigger></fontfamily><font
family><param>RUACH
>LET PLAIN</param>GLOBAL RESOURCE ACTION CENTER FOR THE
>ENVIRONMENT</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param>n</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>SCRIBA LET
>PLAIN</param>
>
></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param>n</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>RUACH LET
>PLAIN</param>GRASS ROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTIVENESS
>NETWORK</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param>n</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>SCRIBA LET
>PLAIN</param>
>
></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param>n</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>RUACH LET
>PLAIN</param>NATIONAL FAMILY FARM
>COALITION</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param>n</fontfamily><fontfamily><param>SCRIBA LET
>PLAIN</param>
>
></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>WP
>ICONICSYMBOLSA</param>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</fontfamily><fontfami
ly><param>SCRIBA
>LET PLAIN</param>
>
>
></fontfamily><bold><fontfamily><param>ARIAL</param>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
> CONTACT:
></fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>ARIAL</param>520.623.9653 ext. 3
>
>January 10, 2000
> Scotty Johnson (GREEN)
>
>
>
><bold><italic>Family Farmers Fighting to Remain
>Competitive:</italic></bold>
>
><bold>LEADING FARMING INTERESTS GATHER IN HOUSTON TO DECRY FARM BUREAU
>POLICIES</bold>
>
>
> Houston, TX =96 Leaders from national family farm groups gathered here
>today at the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation
>(AFBF) to discuss the plight of the family farmer and rancher. At a
>press luncheon held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston, the groups
>outlined the economic crisis in rural America. Speakers at the event
>highlighted failed farm policies, offered solutions, and raised serious
>questions about AFBF business connections to insurance and
>agribusiness. The luncheon event was cosponsored by Global Resource
>Action Center for the Environment (GRACE), Grass Roots Environmental
>Effectiveness Network (GREEN), and the National Family Farm
>Coalition.
>
>
> In discussing the crises affecting family farmers in the United
>States, John Hansen, President of the Nebraska Farmers Union said,
>"The 1996 Farm Bill has created the largest economic depression in
>rural America since the Great Depression. The economic hardship on
>agriculture means that farm and ranch families are in a tremendous
>amount of pain. Farm foreclosures continue to grow, divorce is
>epidemic in rural America. The number of stress-related suicides
>continue to increase The rate of beginning farmers continue to
>decline and the 96' Farm Bill is the reason for the disastrous decline
>in farm commodity prices and farm income. Yet House and Senate leaders
>fail to respond appropriately to the growing disaster."
>
>
> "The Jury is in" said Bill Christison, President of the National
>Family Farm Coalition. "'Freedom to Farm,' genetically manipulated
>organisms, and bad trade policy have brought devastation to family farm
> agriculture. If any of us are to survive, we must have a new
>direction in agriculture policy. We urge the American Farm Bureau and
>the commodity organizations to start supporting agriculture policy that
> will return profit to grassroots family farmers."
>
>
> The groups charged that policies initiated by the AFBF hurt small farm
>and ranching operations while the Farm Bureau claims to be the voice
>for family farms. Citing examples ranging from agribusiness
>concentration to environmental issues, the speakers expressed that the
>Farm Bureau leadership must represent the farmer they claim to support.
>
>
> Karen Hudson, Farm Bureau member and spokesperson for the GRACE
>Factory Farm Project said, "Billion dollar corporations must not be
>allowed to ruin family farms and the environment. What is emerging
>is a patchwork of rural injustice and economic disaster. In my state,
>Farm Bureau leadership has earned a new name-- 'Factory Farm Bureau.'
>And 'Factory Farm Bureau' it will remain until they stop destroying
>the family farmer they claim to represent."
>
> Fred Stokes, Farm Bureau member and president of the Organization for
>Competitive Markets (OCM) said, " I have great empathy for the
>devastation and misery of farm families but I am even more concerned
>about the looming new feudal order in rural America." Responding to
>allegations that Farm Bureau leadership has been corrupted by
>agribusiness interests, Stokes said, "I am a Farm Bureau member and I
>want to know if Farm Bureau is a farm organization that incidentally
>sells insurance, or an agribusiness conglomerate who is farming the
>farmer.
>
>
>
> Bill Weida, economist and advisor to the GRACE Factory Farm Project
>said, "The Farm Bureau has substantial investments in large corporate
>agribusiness . As a result, they have chosen to lobby against small
>farmers and in favor of agribusiness to protect their investments. The
>Farm Bureau should stop masquerading as a representative of small
>farmers and own up to their real role as a mouthpiece for corporate
>interests."
>
>
> In addition to citing problems, many positive solutions were offered.
> Sue Jarrett, a cattle rancher from Colorado said, "Farmers need to get
>out and work with consumers and environmentalists to build bridges.
>As a producer I was always taught to give the customer what they want.
>Seems to me, these days customers want organic family farm produce.
>Jarrett, who sits on the USDA Advisory Small Farm Committee said,
>"Consumers don't want factory farms and nameless corporations making
>their food. They're getting suspicious of GMO's too. I say we give
>them what they want.
>
>
> Scotty Johnson, moderator and spokesman for GREEN, the GrassRoots
>Environmental Effectiveness Network said, "The farm policy being
>advanced by farm leaders, and by Farm Bureau is un-American and
>irresponsible. It destroys free-markets, families and rural
>communities. It is eroding precious topsoil, polluting water,
>destroying habitats and sending ecological diversity into extinction.
>This is not feeding the world. This is starving the future - and the
>future will not thank us."
>
>
> As the panel adjourned, farmers rallied and vowed to go immediately to
>the resolutions session at the American Farm Bureau Federation
>convention next door. Farm Bureau leaders from many states vowed to
>exercise their democratic rights and to challenge leadership to
>change. Their rallying cry for the day was "Vote Family Farm". The
>final voting session of the American Farm Bureau Federation board of
>directors will be on Thursday, January 13th, 2000. "We will be
>holding their feet to the fire to make sure policy is upheld.", said a
>Farm Bureau member who chose not to be identified.
>
>
>
>The speakers will be available for follow-up
>interviews.</fontfamily></bigger><fontfamily><param>ARIAL</param><color><pa
ram>0101,0101,0101</param>
>
>
></color></fontfamily>
>
>
>
>
>Mark Ritchie, President
>
>Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
>
>2105 First Ave. South
>
>Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404 USA
>
>612-870-3400 (phone) 612-870-4846 (fax)
>
>cell phone 612-385-7921
>
>[log in to unmask] www.iatp.org
>
>
>
>
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