From the Field is a bi-monthly column written by Mark Campbell, Farm Bureau Field Services Director for the Central District. He writes about Farm Bureau member benefits and County Farm Bureau activities.
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| Buckingham County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting |
Farm
Bureau meeting season officially started this week for District Field Services
Directors with a couple of county Farm Bureau annual membership meetings across
the state. For me, Albemarle was last
night and Greene County is tomorrow.
The
main purpose of the annual membership meetings is to conduct the business of
the membership by electing directors to represent them, discuss resolutions and
policy and elect voting delegates to the state convention. Many of these meetings will have speakers
about certain topics. In central
Virginia, the most requested topics have been the Waters of the U.S. Proposed
Rule by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers and Frequently Asked Questions
About Farm Vehicles.
The
Governmental Relations department has two excellent brochures that you should
have. They are Ditch the Rule and
Resource Management Planning. Everyone
needs to be involved on Ditch the Rule. This
is a movement of Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups to oppose Waters of
the U.S., expansive regulations by EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to claim
jurisdiction over all water; not just navigable waters as defined in the Clean
Water Act and upheld in the courts. This
is not just an issue for farmers and ranchers.
Plus, the brochure lays out in steps as simple as 1,2,3 how you can
act.
J.D.
Alexander, former president of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, once said
that “If you’re not at the table, you risk being on the menu”. Well folks, we are on EPA’s menu and we need
to step it up even more. I hear time and
time again from members of their frustration and anger about EPA running
roughshod over everyone, including Congress.
The House of Representatives has proposed some legislation to prevent
some actions of EPA on the citizenry.
But just on that statement’s face, isn’t it sad that our elected
representatives actually have to propose legislation to prevent a government
agency from being too burdensome and creating hardships on the citizens? I digress, but this style of rules and regulations
is eerily similar to what Thomas Jefferson and other patriots described of the
relationship between England and the colonies with legalistic rules that were
difficult to understand or to fulfill.
The
other part of county Farm Bureau annual membership meetings is the food and
patriotism. While not the menu item for
every meeting, BBQ is popular. After 16
years with Farm Bureau I have refined my palate sampling many styles of BBQ. I do like the Carolina style best. One other menu item that many in the district
tease me about is cheesy potatoes.
Fluvanna FB always makes sure they have it and even saved me some one
year when I couldn’t attend their meeting.
How cool is that? Most county
Farm Bureaus have realized that a good meal brings a good crowd. Having some entertainment or an interesting
speaker is also a draw.
The
other thing that can be said is interwoven in the Farm Bureau fabric is
patriotism. Most, if not all, annual
membership meetings begin with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the
United States of America.
So
while I have one down and nine more county annual meetings to go, I enjoy it because
it is a small piece of Americana: representative democracy in action,
patriotism, and good country food. I
encourage you to attend your county Farm Bureau meeting. The more participation, the better. Make sure that you are at the table and not
on the menu.
Until
next time,
Mark
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