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by Susie Taylor

Depending on who you talk to, and when you talk to them, the prospects of getting a Farm Bill in place for this year’s planting work are mixed.

County Farm Bureau presidents were getting mixed signals during their annual lobbying trip to Washington D.C. in mid-March. The one consistency was that no one is sure what will happen as far as farm policy is concerned.

"We have heard a lot of conflicting opinions as far as the Farm Bill is concerned," according to Keith Stimpert, OFBF vice president of government affairs. "I think one of the keys here is that many people are working long hours and trying very hard to get the work done and to come up with something that enforces good policy."

County presidents heard often how the U.S. House and Senate conference committee developing the compromise bill needed to complete its work by the time it recessed for Easter, which was March 22. At press time, information coming from AFBF’s offices in Washington was that a tentative agreement had been reached and that conference committee staffers would work through the recess to iron out other details.

In addition to farm policy, the county presidents heard briefings from AFBF staff on trade, environmental regulations, energy policy and renewable fuels, and estate tax repeal. Visits to Congressional representatives, the Department of Energy, with members of the House Agriculture Committee and the Chinese Embassy were also held during the three-day trip to the nation’s capital.

New Appreciation
One of the group’s first activities was to visit AFBF offices for briefings on the issues from AFBF staff.

"I was impressed with what I heard in there," said David Peart, Madison County FB president. "They’re so knowledgeable on so many different subjects. I feel pretty good about how we’re being represented in Washington, and I know our own Ohio Farm Bureau staff works like that for us in Columbus, so I know our voices are being heard."

Special Speakers
The group also heard from Sen. Mike Dewine, R-Ohio, House Agriculture Committee members John Boehner, R-Hamilton, Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, and Rep. Calvin Dooley, D-Calif.; Assistant Department of Energy Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Garman; Assistant USDA Secretary for Administration Lou Gallegos; and Chinese Minister Dai Yunlou and his staff.

In addition to the scheduled agency visits, Congressional district groups met throughout the three days with their representatives or their staff to discuss the key issues presented during the AFBF briefing and issues specific to each district.

Many Accomplishments
"This trip is one of the most important things our organization does each year," Stimpert said. "When these presidents sit down with a congressman or staff member or talk directly with representatives from the different agencies we visit, they represent everyone back home. It really means something to these congressional representatives to have someone from back home sitting in their office and saying ‘This is how this legislation impacts me and my neighbors.’ There’s no better way to communicate than like that."

CAPTIONS:

1. Rep. Calvin Dooley D-Calif. a member of the U.S. House Agriculture committee, speaks to Ohio county Farm Bureau presidents during their annual lobbying trip to Washington D.C. in mid-March.

2. Rep. Charles Stenholm D-Texas answers questions from Ohio county Farm Bureau presidents during a briefing with House Agriculture committee members while in Washington for the annual lobbying trip to the nation’s capital. Stenholm is the ranking Democrat on the committee.

3. The first group activity for county presidents was to attend a briefing on key issues with staffers of the American Farm Bureau. Pictured l to r, are Mike Kocher, Crawford County; Donald Ralph, Marion County; Dave Dotterer, Wayne County; Dick Daniels, Knox County; and Brian Eberly, Holmes County.