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Show December Lamb 1971 Utah Farm Bureau News Government Policy in Viet Nam Purchases Whereas the sheep Industry has long been a vital part of the economy of the western states and whereas our mountain and desert lands are to sheep and whereas the number of sheep In the United States Is only about one-thithat of former years, now herefore be It resolved that the Farm Bureai use Its Influence to persuade the United States govern-me- nt to purchase more of Its of wool, lamb, supplies and mutton from this country and less from foreign governments. well-adapt- ed rd Dairy Base Plans 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 of the law abiding citizens. Crimrights inals 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 nd 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. 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. Electoral College Reform 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 popular vote as the sole determinant In Presidential elections. Courts express extreme dissatisfaction with the ill-advis- ed. 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: 1. 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. Continued military assistance where this Is determined to be essential to nations demonstrating a strong will to resist communist aggression. Federal Aid We Viet Nam War Prisoners 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 people to the executive office of President of this 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. Bond Elections We 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. Public Relations Council recommend the creation of an American Farm Bureau Public Relations Council to maintain Uason between radio and T.V. networds, national magazines and newspapers and national organizations, to explain Farm Bureau's 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. We Marketing and Bargaining We favor marketing and bargaining organizations as a means of obtaining equitable prices for farm produce. d of the West as well as all other areas makes it necessary to establish sound water Water being the 5 We insist that foreign countries shall not be allowed to use our market as a dumping ground for meat. Foreign meats should be required to meet the same inspection standards as domestic meat. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME We support legislation which has been Introduced In the Congress to limit daylight savings time to the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Government Reorganization We are in favor of retaining the approved USDA concept instead of government reorganization under a different department. Government Spending We abhor the continuous deficit spending of tiie Federal Government and insist that spending be held in line with Revenues; We further feel that the President and the Congress be held responsible for such deficits and that programs be regulated to the extent that the budget does in fact become balanced. Social Security We 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. Tax Credits We favor tax credits as proposed by Farm Bureau which would allow a deduction from the federal personal income tax liability to be applied to state tax liability. In turn, the states would assume rexponsibility for state welfare and primary and secondary education. Rent Subsidies and Low Rent Housing We believe payments to offset low rent housing should be carefully reviewed. We are opposed to rent subsidies. Farm Product Boycotts We oppose efforts to force farmers to require their Water Policy per- missive tendencies of our judicial system. We feel that decisions resulting In weakening of police powers in preventing crime and maintaining order are unfortunate We urge appointment of Justices, both and 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. 3. feel that wherever and whenever American are committed to military actions such as the Troops present 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 con- rlmmrn W a150 eel that U.S. forces should not be to future foreign conflicts without declaration of war. Honorable Ending of Viet Nam War Civil Rights We We We 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 prefer base plans developed by Individual dairy cooperatives; providing the producer members with decision making power as to production and marketing needs of Individual producers and producer We Page life-bloo- policies. We believe that federal agencies should abide by state water laws and that congress should pass legislation requiring such compliance. Such legislation should also require the federal agencies to determine the amount of water that should be reserved to them for use on federal lands and this amount be fixed by statute. Any such reserved water which is not used after a specified date, should revert back to the states for development. Compensation should be awarded where federal claims interfere with rights established under state law prior to 1962. Water rights and Canal regarded as property rights. rights-of-wa- y should be employees to join a unior by initiating and promoting a boycott of any product in the marketplace. Product boycotts deny third parties the right to buy and sell. We will assist farmers affected by such boycotts in their efforts to maintain their markets. Boycotts of agricultural products by labor unions effectively foreclose markets for entire commodities whether or not individual producers may be involved in a whether or hoi labor dispute-- or hire any labor at all-a- nd union. workers want to join the They represent a real threat that only farm produce with union labels will be permitted to move into commerce. Such market pressures can ultimately be directed towards the compulsory organization of farmers. We recognize product boycotts as market seizures that have assumed many of the characteristics of social revolution directed at the destruction of the market system itself. Elements of the boycott leadership have openly called for land reform patterned after the lines of Latin American confiscation of private property. We believe agriculture and the nation must awaken to this peril which begins with an assault on farmers markets and can end in the destruction of our market economy. Strikes Land Use Planning We view with great concern the trend towards national land use planning. Agriculture as the major land owner group believes sound land planning and zoning can only be done at the state, county and locallevels of government. The role of the federal agencies in land use planning should be established by acts of congress and should be limited to an advisory function to local units of government. To assist private land owners in equipping themselves to effectively protect and represent their land interest, State and County Farm Bureaus should conduct as soon as practical informational land use planning conferences. Many kinds of strikes should be prohibited in the public interest, including the following: 1. A strike by local state, or federal government em- ployees. 2. A strike in agriculture or in an agricultural processing plant during a critical period of production or harvesting. 3. A strike to force modification of U. S. foreign policy or the enactment or nonenforcement of legislation. 4. An industry-wid- e 5. A strike to compel strike. an employer to employ unnecessary workers. 6. A jusisdictional strike 7. A strike against a regulated public utility. 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 Federal aid should be used only worthy activities. 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. Importation of Livestock and-o-r Red Meats The pressure of importation of livestock and red meats is becoming increasingly alarming to the point of serious damage to the domestic livestock industry. Excessive imports of any one class of meat at a lower price jeopardizes the sale of all classes of domestic meats. We urge the American Farm Bureau to increase its vigilance with respect to this problem. Imports of beef, lamb, mutton and pork should be further controlled by reduced quotas together with reasonable duties to prevent depressing the market. Foreign meat brought into U. S. should be labeled as such. Employment of Minors We urge support for State and National legislation that will lower the minimum age for farm employment in n farm work. Overtime Wage Rates wage rates during seasonal work periods rather than overtime rates agricultural week. We recommend that the work beyond regulation exception for overtime in agriculture continue. We support regular 40-ho-ur wage-and-ho- ur |