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Show UTAH Why Should You Come To The Convention? VILUAN IS FARM BUREAU - Bacausa it's your Farm Bureau that's why! One thing that has always perplexed the editor, is the way many people will criticize the organization by saying, "Just what has Farm Bureau done for me lately?" They seem to forget that they are Farm Bureau. Farm Bureau is made up of its members and they make it or break it. Which are the most effective county Farm Bureaus? November, 1969 FARM BUREAU NEWS ones that have the members, actively involved in its programs. Counties should have a board that meets often and gives direction to the county's committees on action needed to meet current problems. And perhaps most important is committees that are functioning not simply holding occasional meetings. A Supply Committee should be working with the county's commercial farmer members to find out which of their group needs can be met through a county supply program, and the committee should be working with Ed Thomas to fill those needs. Livestock Dairy, and other commodity committees should be working on marketing and other problems that affect the producers within the county . Too frequently, commodity committees assume that programs should be on a statewide or regional basis. A Membership committee should be in contact with LeGrand Jarman for guidance in carrying out membership acquisition programs under the direction of the county board. An active Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee should be functioning in the county to find and train new leadership for the continued success of the county organization. Each year that committee should hold a Talent Find and Discussion Meet and a training school to acquaint new members with the goals and programs of Farm Bureau. We're aware of several counties with no members in the age bracket that qualifies them to be Young Farmers and Ranchers. This is tragic since it suggests an end to agriculture in those counties before too many The years pass. Every time I hear of the spread of the grape boycotty I have to shake my head at the wrongheadedness of the American people - -at least those who can buy this load of garbage. But the boycott goes on - - unfortunately. Because the effort is running low on steam, Cheasar Chavez has moved to the firing line. For the last 18 months he has stayed away from the dust of battle (but within the lofty reach to the section bosses. of the magazine writers) and left the Chavez on a 40 city speaking tour comes on swinging from platforms and rallies in Washington, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Detroit. . . . and down the line. He gets the key to New York City from campaigning Mayor Lindsay; he's guest of honor at a $50 per person party at the Washington home of an aide to Ted Kennedy . . . but the pleasantries extend not to the platforms. The Chavez battle ss that runs U.S. line: - The fight is against the huge are in who live and exploits its workers agriculture denied representation, and are even being sprayed with poisons such as the Nazis used in World War Two . . . College students shout, clergymen gasp, nuns weep, television cameras whirr, opponents redden with rage. Villains of the drama are growers, of course, and then Farm Bureau, which Chavez charges is aligned with the John Birch Society' and other degrading right-win- g The reactionaries. quote is courtesy of Jack Angell, who heads AFBF's Freedom to Market activity. ing 'agri-busine- sub-pover- THE ty, PAINFUL CHAVEZ BACK Jack also notes that Chavez must wonder on a morning whether to get up and picket another store or lie abed and nurse his ailing back. The confusion is understandable since his own biography attributes the bad back to a weakening after the fast of 1968. Yet NEW YORKER biographer Peter Matthlessen writes that Chavez told, him the back pains he has been having for ten years gave him less trouble during the fast than they had before. Ron Thody writes in the Hartford TIMES of October 13, that Chavez was "weakened from beatings by hoodlums hired by grape growers; while Margaret Daly writes in the TORONTO STAR of October 23, that Chavez got his bad back picking grapes. In his own biography Chazez says he quit farm work in 1952. THE PARABLE OF THE GENTLE MAN Which brings us to the column of Frank Adams, writing in the Coachella, California SUN AND DESERT RANCHER. Reprinting it gives us some pleasure, we hope reading it gives as much to you. Once upon a time in a land of the free, a gentle man with a bad back and an intoxicating ambition wanted to be free to tell other people in the land of the free what they could and could not eat. Now, this was without precedent because the land was one of people with hearty appetites; not of gluttons, but of people who had worked for several generations to make it the greatest land in all the world, and people who work hard rightly regard sitting down to a good meal as part of their pursuit of happiness. Well, it came to pass that one day the gentle man went out among the people who worked in the fields and in the vineyards saying: "Hark, you are overworked, and underpaid. Whereupon the people who worked in the fields and in the vineyards looked from one to another and said: Women's Committee should be active in the county. Their programs focus not only on their roles as homemakers and citizens, but overlap into many public relations functions. Anin effective Women's Committee can be the strongest single ingredient a county organization. When it comes to the hard work of following through on many jobs in the countie, it's the women who make the phone calls, write the "Whos this character? write letters, stuff the envelopes, plan the dinner, contact the editors, And the gentle man answered, saying "Gather unto me and for the news stories, and hopefully, prod their husbands when the condition three fifty a month I will bring to you the riches of the earth. Then he told the people that by following him they could earn a of a fence seems more important than the coming farm bill in Washdollar, sixty cents an hour; whereupon the people who worked in the a run should organizato county No good try county president ington. fields and vineyards laughed among themselves, saying they were committee. women's tion without an effective making more without following him. in of And he answered them saying: "But you have no dignity and most Finally, a Public Affairs committee should be involved one of the people who worked in the fields and the vineyards said: what goes on in the county. School budget, assessment, zoning, tax- "Excuse me, you're standing in the way of where I want to pick grapes. economic base could affect else that Then the gentle man climbed Into a rocking chair and said a great ation, rural health and anything commandment: committee. of the Opporcareful scrutiny of farmers should be under "THOU SHALT EAT NO GRAPES!" in life the county shouldn't escape the attentunities for improving the tion of the Public Affairs Committee. One committee in a Midwestern And the people heard. Not the people of the fields and the vinetheir new a in community. yards, but the people of the campuses and the stage and screen and hospital county was responsible for building be who ministry and the scribes and pharisees and the people of governresponsible the The effective county elects voting delegates wilj and they said: ment, for selecting the officers of the Utah Farm Bureau. Since the annual "Yea, we shall eat no grapes. Said a student for Demagogic Society "Youre hip, man. meeting of 1968, we have been operating under a new organizational scene make with the "I my for grass, not grapes. conducting structure. The board member, who are responsible his started ehannlng, "Grass Si, Whereupon financial and business affairs of the organization, are selected by the Grapes, No. And then Companions " Sock it to 'em and then they followed the various districts and confirmed by the House of Delegates..; gentle man into the cities of the land, repeating the great commandment and saying to grocers, "The second is like unto It men run weak counties, by If the state organization is made up of ofwho take little interest in their roles as county leader, the state "THOU SHALT SELL NO GRAPES! " rest could control ficers could be of the same caliber, and effective And some grocers obeyed, but many did not, and they were threatboard members. with the staff or one or two strong-minde- d In a spirit of non violence which included fire bombing and deened This isn't the case at the present time. The state officers are struction of foods and breaking of windows. cated people with the best interests of the organization at heart. But Now in a city known as Gotham, there lived many writers of books Without that remain your will and way. it mean that always plays, and actors and actresses who wore no clothes because that doesn't a land of the free. And they gathered together to give testimony was it interest and support, the organization could develop serious flaws. to the gentle man and to raise money in his behalf and they were The annual convention in Salt Lake City is THE business meeting for joined often by the widow of a man who was slain by an obvious eater will is the done there and of what And the organization organization govern grapes. they rejoiced mightily, partaking of food and spirits such A -- aa ' for another year. , be in attendthatYOU it's obvious For these very reasons, important ance at the annual conventions even though it may be somewhat of an inconvenience for you to attend. With the support of the member, the Utah Farm Bureau will always be an instrument of progress in carrying out the desires of the combined membership. We'll see you there! as the gentle man allowed. But in many cities the wives of men and mothers of children started saying We want grapes and the gentle man withdrew to his bed and rocking chair and said, "We are winning. And the workers of the fields and the vineyards said "If you are winning, we are losing. And so it was. |