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Show December, 1969 would keep the Capitol Reef National Monument at Its original size and give It park status. anti-inflati- Dairy Base Plans We prefer base plans developed Individual dairy cooperatives; providing the producer members with decision making power as to production and needs of Individual producers and producermarketing organizations. by Civil Rights There Is marked tendency on the part of the courts and particularly the United States Supreme Court to over-defehuman rights at the expense of property the or rights rights of the law abiding citizens. Criminals and underprivileged people should be granted certain protections, but not be permitted privileges greater than the protections granted to the great sector of the population. We urge Farm Bureau to continue to work for the sound interpretation of the principles of our Constitution and the laws in this regard. We also feel that there should be better enforcement of the laws dealing with criminal acts. We pledge our support and express our appreciation to individuals who are assigned to enforce the laws. nd Reapportionment Because the U. S. Supreme Court decision declaring the policy of one citizen one vote, unless reversed, will destroy the historic right of states to determine their own apportionment and use the Federal Plan If they desire, be it resolved that Farm Bureau offer leadership to organize the efforts of all allied forces into a united and dynamic campaign and give priority to securing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing to the states this fundamental right to determine their own apportionment of one house on some basis other than population. Law Enforcement and Riots In the light of riots and many evidences of disrespect for the law presently occurlng, we believe a renewed effort is needed to Inculcate In all citizens respect for law. We recommend that all Farm Bureau members and organizations support to the utmost of our ability our law enforcement agencies In upholding and sustaining W'e believe that riots are nurtured and enthe law. in of law enforcepart by our own couraged ment officers; that the courage and power of law enforcement officers should be revived; that such officers be reassured that we, the people, will support them In their proper efforts to subdue rioters and maintain law and order. non-supp- ort Social Security recommend that Farm Bureau take a stand to discourage the Increase In social security taxes and benefits, and that medicare and retirement payment funds be separated In collection, maintenance and disbursement so that the publics social security contributions will be protected. We favor allowing the option of putting the payments equivalent to the social security into approved private retirement programs. We Firearms The Constitution of the United States guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms. We therefore oppose any legislation prohibiting ownership of firearms and feel existing legislation should be pealed. We re- oppose the requirement for registration in pur- chasing ammunition. Welfare Programs recommend that the following standard be adopted for welfare programs: 1. That recipients work for benefits where able to do so. 2. Careful review of qualifications of welfare recipients. We 3. 4. 5. Those who are physically able to work should be required to participate In rehabilitation programs or face losing their welfare assistance. Review salaries of administrators. Exploration of the possibility of administering new programs through existing institutions Instead of creating new ones. That solutions come through private enterprise whenever possible for building Individual Initiative and rs Into taxpayers. changing Persons unemployed by reason of strikes or whose refusal to accept employment should not be qualified for welfare payments. We recommend that the Government try to eliminate all types of giveaway programs. Of all of these, the Food Stamp program is the most desirable, but the program should be under the Department of Health Education and Welfare Instead of the Department of tax-eate- 6. 7. Agriculture. Electoral College Reform We favor a Constitutional amendment to provide that two of the Presidential electors to which each state shall be entitled shall be elected on a statewide basis and that the remainder of such electors shall be elected from Congressional districts as determined by the state legislature. The proposed amendment should provide that all electors be mandated to cast their presidential votes as did a plurality of the voter in their respective districts or states. We oppose proposals to use the In Presidential popular vote as the sole determinant elections. Government Spending reaffirm our stand on big government and deficit of the F ederal spending. Since the projected expenditures Government indicate a deficit of many billions of dollars for the present fiscal year, we feel this to be a real threat to the economic stability of our government and We NEW& will add to the already Inflationary trend now ln'&Xect. We recommend that Farm Bureau should exert all to hold and reverse this trend. We its influence further believe that the measures resulting In high Interest rates are extremely damaging to agriUTAH FARM BUREAU culture and are on counter-productiv- e. Foreign Aid Our assistance to underdeveloped nations should be based on long range plans carefully prepared and agreed to by the underdeveloped nations with proper consideration of their ability to utilize this aid. Requests for foreign aid funds should be justified, nation by nation. and presented to Congress for approval. Congress should authorize appropriations on an annual basis only after careful review and of the progress of the plans. Such a program of assistance should be designed to aid those whose allegiance Is to the free world, and whose governments oppose International communism. We believe future commitments should be predicated tlon upon: Awell defined program to provide technical assistance at a level which Is consistent with each nation's current stage of development. 2. Granting loans on the basis of sound commercial standards when there Is reasonable expectation of repayment. 3. Continued military assistance where this Is determined to be essential to nations demonstrating a strong will to resist communist aggression. 1. Courts express extreme dissatisfaction with the permissive tendencies of our judicial system. We feel that decisions resulting In weakening of police powers In preventing crime and maintaining order are unfortunate and We urge appointment of justices, both state and federal, who will render decisions that will result in stricter adherence to the intent of the laws, rather than adherelng to the letter of the law. We ill-advis- ed. Federal Aid are concerned over the present trend to seek and accept federal aid In many of our social and economic functions. We still believe that It Is fundamentally sound for local units of government as well as for persons to depend on their own resources to accomplish most worthy activities. Federal aid should be used only when there Is no possibility of doing the job with local effort. All information and experience Indicates that whenever the federal government has subsidized an activity, it begins to dictate conditions of operation. This Is particularly true with respect to aid to our public school program. While we clam that all units of local government should remain free from federal domination we most emphatically defend the right of our schools to be governed by the local board. We Government Policy in Viet Nam feel that wherever and whenever American Troops are committed to military actions such as the present We conflict in Vietnam, military commanders under the direction of the Defense Department should have the full support of the nation in doing whatever necessary to bring such conflicts to a speedy and honorable conclusion. We also feel that U.S. forces should not be committed to future foreign conflicts without declaration of war. Viet Nam War Prisoners ask the Utah Farm Bureau to write our Congressman and President of the United States to do all possible to determine status of those missing in action In the Vietnam War and to obtain the names of those who are prisoners of war. We Honorable Ending of Viet Nam War Wheras the people of the United States In regular free election elected the President of the United States to perform his lawful duties. Whereas we are engaged In conflict with an enemy in a foreign land. Whereas pursuant to the powers delegated to him by the people of the United States, the President is trying to bring about an honorable and successful end to this conflict. Whereas some groups of people with motives subject to questions have demonstrated in such a way to give comfort and aid to the enemies of this nation and are making attempts to erode powers granted by the of President of this people to the executive office United States of America. Be It resolved that the Utah Farm Bureau Federation go on record as affirming the action of our elected president and urging all other responsible groups of American citizens to do the same. Postal System The postal system should be operated more efficiently to eliminate the annual deficit. The political patronage practice should be completely eliminated from the system. We further believe that all classes of mall should pay the costs of their postal handling. Bond Elections recommend that the American Farm Bureau Federation use Its influence to reverse the decision of the Supreme Court which allows all registered voters to vote in a bond election. We Tax Sharing favor tax sharing as proposed by Farm Bureau which would allow a deduction from the federal personal Income tax liability to be applied to state Income tax liability. In turn, the states would assume full responsibility for state welfare and primary and secondary We education. gr- Page 5 Capital Gains We recommend that no change be made In the capital gains clause pertaining to livestock In the federal Income tax. Withholding Tax Inasmuch as the withholding of both federal and state tax on personal incomes, tends to reduce the Impact of taxation and causes many people to be largely unaware of the magnitude of the personal income tax, we therefore propose the elimination of the state and federal withholding of Income tax, thereby allowing each Individual to pay the tax annually. Farm Labor We oppose the principle of placlngfarm labor relations under the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act. We recommend that those engaged as producers of agricultural products continue to maintain suitable wages and housing, thereby discouraging unionization of farm labor on a national basis. Due to the perishable nature of farm commodities, agricultural employers cannot tolerate boycotts, strikes or intimidations of workers by labor organizations. Federal legislation similar that would be disastrous to agriculture. Migrant Labor We recommend that on all farm housing for migrant labor, the farmer be allowed to withhold from wages a deposit to cover damages which may occur to housing. Grazing Fees Neither the Forest Service nor the Bureau of Land Management were created as revenue producing agencies, and present livestock prices are substantially the same as they were twenty years ago, yet during the same period livestock production costs have tripled. From a purely economic point of view an Increase In grazing fees cannot be justified. Therefore, the Utah Farm Bureau Federation vigorously opposes the recent decision of the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to arbitrarily raise grazing fees on public lands without regard to permit value as a recognized cost of doing business. Review Grazing fee studies for the Public Land-la- w Commission have indicated that there Is no justification for an Increase in fees. We , therefore, recommend that grazing fees remain stable, at least until all Review Commission findings of the Public Land-la- w and have been completed published. Farm Bureau strongly urges all permittees who pay increases in grazing fees to do so under protest. Sex Education We oppose the use of teaching materials and curriculum sponsored by the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) In the primary and secondary schools of Utah. Public Relations Council We recommend the creation of an American Farm Bureau Public Relations Council to maintain llason between radio and T.V. networds, national magazines and newspapers and national organizations, to explain Farm Bureaus positions on Issues vital to agriculture. For example, such a body could protest T.V. and radio programs where some prominent entertainment personalities have expressed positions that are potentially damaging to agriculture, Inasmuch as some of these opinions have apparently been formed on Inadequate information. Food Prices Today's food prices, when measured In hours of labor required to buy, are the lowest they have ever been in the history of our country. We urge Farm Bureau at all levels to use all means possible to bring this Information more fully to the attention of the general public. Anti-Obsceni- ty Laws RESOLVED: that the Farm Bureau support the late Senator Everett M. Dirkensen's bill CS. 1077). This bill would free local citizens to make the final determination as to whether a book, magazine or movie Is obscene. The Supreme Court could no longer overrule the judgement of community juries or state supreme courts and make a shambles of states' efforts to curb smut. Thus, the people of our communities would decide what they think the moral standards under which their youngsters are to be reared should be. We would write our Congressmen andSenators expressing our outrage at the filth now engulfing our land and urge their support of S. 1077. anti-obscen- ity STATE ISSUES Dairy Industry Research In order to Implement and stimulate research that will help dairy products compete more effectively on the market, it Is suggested that we take the initiative in establishing a Dairy Products Research Advisory Committee. This committee should meet once or twice each year with research workers at Utah State University who are active In dairy products research. Research needs of the Industry and the feasibility of specific research projects should be considered. The committee should be kept informed concerning progress and problems related to new product development and should consider ways and means of assisting the progress of research projects, marketing and legislative problems. Members of the committee should be leaders In the dairy Industry who are Interested In furthering research efforts to help milk and milk Ingredients find greater acceptability through new or modified products. The committee should represent both producers and processors. It Is further recommended that the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at Utah State University |