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Why Belong to Farm Bureau

by Mike White

      Many years ago when I first became a County President, I had a farmer ask me why he should belong to Farm Bureau and what the return was for him.  Of course I tried to answer in the mind set of how you might get your dues money back.  Which is a viable and worthy answer, but not a really hard answer?  With the new Grainger program if you purchase much at all you will get your money back quickly with the 10% off and free freight.  Or if you purchase a new GM vehicle (then it was a Dodge) you get a $500.00 rebate which is eight years worth of dues.  And there are many more member benefits which will more than repay a $60.00 membership.

      But really the answer is much deeper and broader than that, but ironically the answer still refers back to our business bottom line.  As Justice Louis D. Brandeis said “In business, the earning of profit is something more than an incident of success.  Profit is an essential condition of the success because the continued absence of profit itself spells failure.”  We are all business men and women and our lively hoods depend on the continued profit from year to year of our business whether big or small, and we all strive to be a success in our endeavors.  And that is what your Farm Bureau basically does is work all of the issues that you as a member direct it to address when it effects your business or rural lifestyle.

      After becoming the State President then being elected to the AFBF Board and now a member on the AFBF International Trade Advisory Committee I have a much greater respect for the voice of agriculture that Farm Bureau portrays locally, across the State, Country and around the world.   It is more apparent every day that from local water issues to world trade issues all of the issues that Farm Bureau works on all have a bearing on the farmer and  ranchers bottom line and puts or takes out one of those nails in our coffin depending on the outcome of the issue. We have a strong presence in Geneva at the World Trade Organization every year, and are always a deciding factor whether the U.S. accepts or denies an agreement.  We are active in Congress and in regulatory reforms to work on issues from TB quarantines, the Farm Bill, NAIS, uniform trucking regulations, and numerous issues to many to mention.  At the State level we work on many water issues across the State, working with the PRC in Santa Fe on electric rate increases trying to keep the impact to agriculture at a minimum, represent you at Legislative sessions and in the interim committees where much of the footwork takes place for future legislation.  Farm Bureau speaks as one voice in all of the issues we address, and having the membership numbers to support that is very vital.  And being a member in Farm Bureau helps support your views and the bottom line in your business.  It is said that a small businessman is any businessman who cannot afford to have a full-time representative in Washington, D.C. and today I believe that goes for Santa Fe as well.  And that is what Farm Bureau is, your voice in all situations that pertain to agriculture, your bottom line and lifestyle in places that you cannot be.

      Even people that live in or are interested in the rural sector and rural communities should belong to Farm Bureau.  Because, issues which affect farmers and ranchers also has an effect upon them.  Rural development is one of the top priorities of Farm Bureau. The rural sectors of our State and Nation have needs for healthcare that is not readily available to them, education is an ongoing struggle for smaller communities, broadband internet service is a must for business in the rural areas and lags far behind the urban areas, the road infrastructure system and mass freight transportation for our communities is an essential need for agriculture as well as those who live and work in the rural sectors. Becoming energy efficient and independent is also a common interest.  And all of this is driven by entrepreneurship from people in the urban areas as well as the rural areas. All of these items are in the forefront of Farm Bureau issues.  There are regulations that Farm Bureau works to change and keep from becoming implemented and legislation that we support and others which we try to defeat that pertain to all of these issues and which can and do affect all of us in the rural community.  People and entities that have an interest in rural life, business development and support agricultural should be interested in also being a Farm Bureau member to have a larger voice for their way of life.

      A lot of people like to think they can stay home tend to their operation not get involved and not worry about the issues or other groups that are working to take away their rights, their bottom line profit, and the lifestyle they are accustomed to.  We would all like to do that, but the Organizations bent on wielding their beliefs and ideas on us are not staying home and never will. These organizations have become money making organizations to create careers for people.  Their salaries and profits are derived from creating conflict whether it is from introducing endangered species, animal welfare issues, global warming or a myriad of other issues. They thrive on conflict and the money they derive from it.  So to combat that mentality we cannot sit back and let them whittle away at our basic rights in the Constitution. If you cannot be active physically at least lend your support as a member and add your name to the list of New Mexico Farm & Livestock Farm Bureau members and help us as a whole to defend our rights to do business and live a prosperous life. 

      And until next month, as R.E. “HOT” Pinion, a Farmer said “We really need a crop that at least breaks even, because I shore can use the money this year!”

 

Farm Bureau is Working to Protect Your Water Rights

by John F. Wortman, Jr.

      Water is our most important resource.  Those of us in agriculture know that without a second thought.  Consequently, Farm Bureau is constantly involved in activities dealing with water issues.   This month we thought we would update you on some of what we are doing to help protect agricultural water and your water rights.

      Many people understand the importance of agriculture in New Mexico, not only to the business of producing food, but also agriculture’s importance in maintaining the aesthetics of green space in many parts of our state, especially the river valleys.  Unfortunately, there are many who do not realize where their food comes from or why our valleys are so pretty and green.  If agriculture were to disappear from our state because of the loss of agriculture water, so would the vast majority of the green space that so many admire, not to mention the New Mexico foods that they enjoy.

      We adamantly believe that senior water rights must be protected and that our New Mexico Constitution is very clear about that point.  We are very concerned when proposed regulations or bills introduced at the legislature contain provisions that infringe upon our constitutional rights with respect to water.  We work hard to help ensure that regulatory language respects and protects our water and water rights and that is very difficult at times, given that there are quite a few people out there that want our agricultural water for a multitude of things other than food production.

      In working to protect our water resources, our first level of activity is through meeting with those that regulate water and helping negotiate the best possible policies for water management that we can.  We are deeply involved with the Office of the State Engineer and the Interstate Stream Commission, as well as the Department of Environment in trying to influence water policies implemented by our government. Secondly, we work water issues at the legislature.  We work with the legislature, not only during their regular sessions, but especially during the interim.  The legislature’s interim committees do a great deal of work on the details of issues to help facilitate the process during the regular sessions.  If we did not have a presence at the interim committee meetings, then we would not be fully prepared to address the bills and memorials that get introduced once the session begins in January.  Additionally, we are involved, especially through American Farm Bureau Federation, at the national level to affect the outcome of proposals from Congress and the federal agencies that have jurisdiction over our water and how it is managed. Full story

 

NEW MEXICO FARM BUREAU DUES INCREASE TO $60

Membership dues for the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau will be $60 effective June 1st.  Dues were last increased in 2000 when they were set at their current rate of $55.  The House of Delegates voted the small increase last November at their annual meeting as part of a total revision of the by-laws of the state-wide organization.

There was considerable debate about the change in dues as the by-laws revisions were considered over much of last year.  In the end, the members decided the increase was justified and pointed to the value of their Farm Bureau membership, all the things that Farm Bureau does to enhance the lives of everyone, not just our members, and the rising cost of continuing to fight for our private property rights and the protection of our American food supply, as the core reasons to maintain a strong Farm Bureau organization.

The exact date the new dues will be effective may vary slightly from the June 1st target depending upon the timing of our switch to a new supplier of membership documents.  The new documents will include new membership cards and membership billing notices.  The quality and new look of those documents will be better for about the same price as the present versions.

The new dues reflect our members’ commitment to maintaining a solid organization that continues to work hard to support initiatives that help protect our American food supply, protect everyone’s private property rights (which includes your water rights), help educate our youth about agriculture and how our food is produced, as well as support research and development of better ways to operate our farms and ranches so we can continue to produce the safest and least expensive food in the world.

Some of the things that the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau has done recently to accomplish our organizational goals include: ensuring that everyone’s private property is protected from the incorrect use of eminent domain by the government to take land for the conversion to use by another private entity; preventing very expensive workers’ compensation insurance from being forced upon farmers and ranchers; working to develop economic alternatives that provide protection for our labor force; participating in a law suit to help protect our most valuable natural resource, water, by attempting to stop the unconstitutional taking of water from those to whom it belongs;  acting in the legislative process to block the taking of water by eminent domain from farmers; and working with animal health officials to reduce the adverse effects of unnecessary restrictions on the movement of livestock from New Mexico due to isolated cases of bovine tuberculosis.

Farm Bureau also has worked with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to help educate people from across our nation about what New Mexico producers add to our food supply.  Farm Bureau works with the schools in New Mexico through our Ag in the Classroom program to help teachers with science and math curricula using lessons that teach about how our food is produced, which helps people better understand agriculture as more and more of them are further removed from previous generations that farmed and ranched.

Additionally, Farm Bureau provides scholarships to college students who are children of Farm Bureau members.  These scholarships are granted from the state organization and many of the county organizations and are a clear demonstration of our faith in our youth and our desire to ensure that our future leaders have the opportunity to receive the education they need to succeed and keep our nation strong.

Farm Bureau is a private organization that has always had a strong belief in the principals our founding fathers gave our nation and the importance to national security that a solid agricultural base provides.  The programs and activities of Farm Bureau reflect those beliefs as well as our great pride in the work that we do to feed, clothe, and fuel our country.

 

New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau
P.O. Box 20004
Las Cruces, NM 88004-9004
(575) 532-4700