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Show May, 1969 UTAH FARM BUREAU A Fable Once upon a time there was a Little Red Hen who scratched about and uncovered some grains of wheat. She called her barnyard neighbors and said, If we work together and plant this wheat will will have some fine bread to eat. Who will help me plant the wheat? Not I, said the Cow. Not I, said the Duck. Not said the Goose. Then I will, said the Little Red Hen I, and she did. After the wheat started growing, the ground turned dry and there was no rain in sight. Who will help me water the wheat? said the Little Red Hen. Not I, said the Cow. Not I, said the Duck. Not I, said the Pig. Equal rights, said the Goose. Then I will, said the Little Red Hen and she did. The wheat grew tall and ripened into golden grain. Who will help me reap the wheat? asked the Little Red Hen. Not I, said the Cow. Not I, said the Duck. Out of my classification, said the Pig. Id lose my ADC, said the Goose. Then I will, said the Little Red Hen and she did. came it time to grind the flour, Not I, said When the Cow. Id lose my unemployment compensation, said the Duck. When it came time to bake the bread, Thats overtime for me, said the Cow. Im a dropout and never learned how, said the Duck. Id lose my welfare benefits, said the Pig. If Im the only one helping, thats discrimination, said the Goose. Then I will, said the Little Red Hen and she did. She baked five loaves of fine bread and held them for her neighbors to see. up I want some, said the Cow. I want some, said the Duck. I want some, said the Pig. I demand my share, said the Goose. No, said the Little Red Hen. I can rest for awhile and eat the five loaves myself. Excess profits, cried the Cow. Capitalistic leech! screamed the Duck. Company fink, screamed the Goose. Equal rights, grunted the Pig. And they hurriedly painted picket signs and marched around the Little Red Hen singing, We shall overcome. And they did. For when the Farmer came to investigate the com- motion, he said, You must not be greedy, Little Red Hen. Lock at the oppressed Cow. Look at the disadvantaged Duck. Look at the underprivileged Pig. Look at the less fortunate Goose. You are guilty of making second-clas- s citizens of them! But but but I earned the bread, said the Little Red Hen. Exactly, the wise Farmer said. That is the wonderful free enterprise system; anybody can earn as much as he wants. You should be happy to have this freedom. In other barnyards, you would have to give all five loaves to the Farmer. Here you give four loaves to your suffering neighbors. And they all lived happily ever after. Including the Little Red Hen. who smiled and smiled and clucked. I am grateful. I am grateful. But her neighbors wondered why she never baked any more bread. ' (Source Unknown) I j I j ( j j c Page 7 NEWS Colorado F. B. President Speaks Out Against Council of Churches Actions Farm labor legislation has become one of the burning issues confronting the nation and the state. Efforts by the big labor unions notably the AFL -- CIO, which is allocating huge sums of money and its considerable organizing ability to bring farm labor under the National Labor Relations Act and to back the boycott on California grapes has attracted a great amount of open and often vociferous support by the National Council of Churches. In Colorado, efforts to bring agriculture labor under the Colorado Peace Act, put agricultural labor under workmen's compensation laws and force unionization of farm workers, has the active and very vocal support of officials of the Colorado Council of Church- The foregoing letter represents the thoughts of one farmer on the issues at hand. One thing is cerWe in agriculture have a tain. a fight for fight on our hands our very existence. While inColo-rad- o it appears that labor legislation detrimental to agriculture is dead for this session of the General Assembly, we can be sure it will be back to haunt us in the es. next session. This support by officials of these organizations of proposals, which if adopted as proposed, would exert extreme financial pressure on most commercial farmers and ranchers, is a matter of grave concern to me -- - not only as the elected president of Colorado Farm Bureau, but as an individual farmer whose livelihood is threatened. It was strictly as an individual and member of the Methodist Church with no reference to my capacity as president of CFB that the to was written Mr. Marvin R. Stuart, Bishop of the following letter with Rocky Mountain Methodist Conference, copies to my own pastor and to the District Superintendent in Salt Lake City. On the national scene, the boycott against California grapes is very much at issue. Should the boycott tactics to force unionization of grape pickers be successful with the formidable help to the labor unions and such organizations as the Council of Churches, then no crop in the nation will be spared from boycotts to force unionization of the workers in the field. Perhaps if enough farmers were to express similar thoughts to their tax-exemp- ted Dear Bishop Stuart and Cabinet: I am very disturbed at our church's activity and support of the State and National Council of Churches in boycotting agricultural commodities and supporting unionization of farm workers. Through the Council of Churches, we are supporting the unionization of agricultural workers and the increasing of the minimum wage. There are a few things that you the Cabinet should know concerning this issue 1. Agriculture is the only Industry that is expected to, and does, furnish housing for its workers besides many other fringe benefits. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Unions will not and cannot guarantee an adequate supply of labor to agriculture when needed. Agricultural labor is paid to a large degree on a piece work" basis, and they have the opportunity to earn much more than the minimum wage. Workers on our farm last year, working sugar beets by the acre, made as much as $40.00 per day. The unions will not agree to a no strike" clause at harvest time. Agriculture cannot shut down its production line as do other industries. Striking at harvest time will break most of them. Agriculture has been willing to employ workers that other industry or business would not hire because of their training and experience. We have been able to keep many off the welfare rolls and allow them to be useful citizens in the communities in which they live. Through the Council of Churches, the unions and churches have promoted so much social welfare legislation that people would rather be on welfare than earning and making a living for them- selves. 7. The question should be asked of the churches Are they paying as much or even the minimum wage to those they hire, such as janitors and assistants? Are the churches willing to beat the drums for higher consumer prices for food and fibre produced by agriculture? Returns to farmers are now as low as they were during the depression. Do the churches wish to further reduce their income? g. Churches and unions profess to be helping the minority, but through their social legislation they are damaging the economic structure of a minority Industry agriculture. 9. When my family and I joined the church, we stated our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal savior. We were not asked to subscribe to any special political, economic, or social view of the church. Now the church is using my financial support, along with all others, to support views alien to our wishes. study committee of the National Council of Churches, headed by J. Edward Carothers of the United Methodist Church, report- 10. A 3 i 1 COUSIN ORVILL SHAW violence is an acceptable tool to use by victims of injustice." Is this good public relations for our church? I am very disturbed, as are many others, by the action of many of the clergy of our church and other denominations who justify the violation of federal, state and local laws on the grounds that they are bad laws and the only way to correct them is to break them. 11. The strength of the church in the past has been its reliance upon the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ as the basis of eternal truth. Christ did not uphold civil disobedience or promote political pressure either to correct social evils or even to promote his own spiritual mission. Christ made it crystal clear that we are to seek, first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." Pointing out that the kingdom is within you." 12. If our church is going to be a party to using economic pressures or product boycotts against agriculture or any industry, then I know of no other way to counter than through the same kind of economic pressure. The Council of Churches, which our church supports, it not willing to listen to agricultures side of the story. Is it Christian to economically force farmers out of business? 13. The latest legislative newsletter put out by the Colorado Council of Churches and the Commission on Social Concerns in support of legislation which supports and promotes unionization of farm ' workers is the last straw which will break the camel's ed that back." My family, members of the Fruita Methodist Church, will withhold any further financial support to the church until we find out that our support is not going to be used for the above mentioned activities supported by the Methodist Church. I am also going to see that other farmers and ranchers who support churches in rural Colorado are made aware of these facts and urge them to oppose the efforts of our church, through our own economic boycott, until the hierarchy of our church responds with some sense of reason and provides an opportunity of listening to all of the facts before they try to solve political and social issues. Bishop Stuart, what method do we use to develop policy in our church structure that allows others to speak for our members? Our church is being used by those we have no control over. Thanks for your thoughtful consideration, Sincerely yours, Lloyd Sommerville Route 2 Grand Junction, Colorado ministers and church officials, there could be generated grass roots opinion to damp- I ( I I own ugh en some of this emotion-geare- d sentiment on farm labor issues being expressed publicly by Council of Churches officials. As for this church active roots, grass of Council those member, Churches officials who appear on boycott picket lines and testify for the unionization of farm labor before legislative bodies certainly are not acting or speaking for me. If you, too, feel that these Council of Churches officials do not represent your sentiments or convictions when they speak out for unionization of farm workers or advocate boycotts that are aimed at compulsory unionization of farm workers or advocate boycotts that are aimed at compulsory unionization of farm workers who do not want to be organized, then let the pastor and officers of your own church know about it in terms that are clear, concise and positive. A grass roots fire of opinion just might singe the conscience of those who purport to represent all church members when they speak out as officials of the Councils of Churches. LLOYD SOMMERVILLE Pres. Colorado Farm Bur. Milk Quality Workshop The flavor people enjoy of high quality milk and other products is no accident, rather, it is the result of concerted effort on the part of producers, processors, health officials and others. This fact was emphasized in numerous ways Tuesday and Wednesday at the Milk Quality Workshop sponsored at Utah State University by the Departments of Food Science and Industries and Dairy Science. Drs. C. A. Ernstrom and Dee R. Morgan of the Depatment of Food Science and Industries explained and demonstrated procedures for maintaining milk flavors .in the processing operations. Dr. Robert B. Bush-ne- ll, extension animal health specialist, Unlveristy of Cali- fornia at Davis, Dr. Wayne B. Ringer, USU extension agricultural engineer, and John J. Barnard, USU extension dairy specialist, stressed the Importance of maintaining clean cows, adequate waste disposal and a complete dairy farm sanitation program as essential measures in producing high quality milk under pleasant conditions. Dr. Bushnell said that a sanitation program to prevent problems of high bacteria and disease is far more practical than a program of treatment to get rid of such problems. He strongly advocated that dairymen dip their cows teats in a strong, non irritating disinfectant solution such as 5,000 to 10,000 parts per million iodine and 10 percent glycerine solution before putting on the milking machine. 1 |