Farm Bureau Ready to Function in Changed World

January 9, 2002

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman told members that the AFBF us ready to implement their public policy goals and create new opportunities for U.S. agriculture in a world that has forever changed. "There is no doubt (the events of Sept. 11) have changed us, changed our thinking of the world and how we think of ourselves. Agriculture is based on change, and as an industry we embrace change rapidly. In Farm Bureau, we believe change offers the opportunity to make things better," he said in his annual address at the AFBF convention in Reno.

Stallman said further trade progress would come after trade promotion authority is secured for President Bush. The measure has passed the House and the Senate is expected to consider it later this year. "President Bush and U.S. trade negotiators need the opportunity to level the playing field," Stallman said. "Our share of world trade is deteriorating because we are outspent four to one on domestic support by the European Union. We face tariffs five times greater than those we impose on imported agricultural commodities. And, we lose markets to those who spend 40 times what we do on export subsidies."

He said U.S. negotiators are "well aware of Farm Bureau's international trade policies" and AFBF "will be looking over their shoulders as they work (during the new round of World Trade Organization talks) to eliminate export subsidies, reduce unfair trade practices, open new markets for our commodities and satisfactorily address the concerns of producers of import-sensitive crops."

The AFBF also will continue to take the lead on efforts to create a new farm program to foster stability and profit. "Farm program legislation will be revisited as soon as Congress reconvenes," Stallman told Farm Bureau members. "AFBF will again be working with our friends in both parties to get a bill that America's farm and ranch families need and deserve. Farm Bureau appreciates the (Bush) administration's commitment to budget $73.5 billion over the next 10 years to fund a farm program aimed at providing opportunity, stability and management certainty."

Stallman outlined Farm Bureau's platform to achieve its farm policy goals, which includes continuing fixed decoupled payment contracts with expansion to some new producers of program commodities, maintaining the current soybean loan rate and rebalancing other rates to historical alignment, implementing a new counter-cyclical income assistance safety net, and opposing means testing, payment limitations and targeting of benefits

"With these mechanisms in place, we will be able to continue to provide the nation food security, and help stabilize the economy by making sure that rural America is economically strong," Stallman said. He also said U.S. farmers contribute to national security by offering alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel that "reduce our dependence on foreign oil and are better for the environment."

Stallman also focused on environmental, regulatory and economic issues and challenged members by saying they could "achieve any goal" they set their minds to."Economic progress, cultural advancement, ethical and religious principles flourish best where people are free, responsible individuals," he said. "Individuals have a moral responsibility to help preserve freedom for future generations - the freedom of what to eat, to wear, to read, to say, to write, to believe … America will not yield to those who want to devote their days to undoing the progress of the past and stifling the advances to the future."