Grassroots

January 2007

President of AFBF speaks at State Annual Meeting
Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, joined members of N.Y. Farm Bureau during both the Wednesday’s Presidents’ Luncheon and the evening banquet. A rice and cattle farmer from Texas, Stallman spoke on a wide range of topics important to agriculture.

Stallman was impressed with the many successful promotion and education projects conducted by county Farm Bureaus. “Educating the non-farming public about the importance of agriculture is a stated goal of virtually every state Farm Bureau,” he said. “Here in New York, it’s clear that goal is much more than something just written down on paper. You are doing an outstanding job.”

Looking ahead to the anticipated debates on the Farm Bill, Stallman said, “Farm Bureau members have remained committed to maintaining the structure and funding of the 2002 Farm Bill as a high priority.” He expressed his commitment to working with the new House and Senate Agriculture Committee chairs.

Stallman promised to continue to guard agriculture’s interests in trade talks. “As a major exporter of dairy products and other farm products,” he said, “you feel the pressure of high tariffs and know how critical it is for us to get them reduced. As it stands, U.S. producers are not getting a fair shake in the international trade arena.”

Stallman also addressed an issue that has high priority here in New York, the critical importance of immigration reform. While Farm Bureau members support securing the borders of the United States, they also recognize the immediate need for a legal and willing farmworkers. “The only way to accomplish immigration reform,” he said, “is to enact a comprehensive bill that addresses all aspects of the immigration process, including our need for an adequate, legal workforce.”

As the policy debates wrap up on the state level, Stallman reminded the audience of the importance of unity. He asked that Farm Bureau members remember that having well-formed, united positions on agricultural policy has long been a strength of the Farm Bureau organization. He stressed the fact that, “The common interest of American agriculture far outweighs individual, commodity, or regional differences.”

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