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Show Page 6 Holiday Issue 1966 UTAH FARM BUREAU NEWS RECOMMENDATIONS ON NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES FOR 1967 PROPOSED AT TIIE 49th ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE UTAH STATE FARM BUREAU FEDERATION SALT LAKE CITY NOVEMBER 19, 1966 (Continued from Nov-De- c. Issue) URBAN SPRAWL The increased sprad of residential and industrial construction into agricultural areas creates numerous problems both for the citizens moving into such areas and the owners of adjacent agricultural lands. We recommend that conditions accompanying these land developments should avoid creating financial burdens for both groups of landowners. The cost of projects designed to make new areas suitable for residential or commercial development cannot be borne by landowners or agricultural organizations. Other means of financing such land projects must be found. FARM TRUCK LICENSE Farm Bureau studies indicate that the passage of a uniform motor vehicle fee would materially increase the cost of registration of motor vehicles for farmers. We, therefore, must beopposed to enactment of such legislation. If such legislation should be approved, we feel that in all fairness, we must be granted a Farm Truck license Law which will partly recompense for the above increase. We shall work continuously for the passage of a Farm Truck License Law. SALES TAX EXEMPTION We recommend that Farm Bureau initiate action to get baler twine, baler wire, and fuel oil exempted from sales tax, inasmuch as they are cost of production items. CAPITAL GAINS We urge that a Capital Gains Law be enacted in the State of Utah as part of the Income Tax Law. The schedule on capital gains should be patterned after that of the federal government tax laws. EMINENT DOMAIN We are aware of the fact that much land is being acquired for the purposes of highway building and other public purposes. When negotiations are begun for acquisition of any land for these purposes, agencies involved should be encouraged to do everything possible to arrive at settlements without resorting to the legal procedure of emiment domain. This process could be assisted by having Farm Bureau lend its influence with agencies to get them to give more attention to certified private appraisers; to be more realistic and serious in consideration of A Christmas Carol There's a song in the air! There's a star in the sky! There's a mother's deep prayer And a babys low cry; And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing. For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a king! There's a tumult of joy O'er the wonderful birth, For the Virgin's sweet boy Is the Lord of the earth Ay, the star rains its fire, and the beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles the king! In the light of that star Lie the ages impearled; And that song from afar Has swept over the world; Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing, In the homes of the nations, that Jesus is king! We rejoice in the light, And we echo the song That comes down through the night From the heavenly throng. Aye, we shout to the lovely evangel they bring. And we greet in his cradel our Saviour and King. J.G. Holland severance damage, and to avoid as much as possible the use of choice agricultural land when less valuable sites are available in the area. In order to expedite the procedures of eminent domain in the right-of-wa- y purchase and to make the final settlement more nearly a realistic figure, we recommend the following: Utah State Farm Bureau make a survey of procedures used by other states with respect to the two items following and when such survey is completed, make such recommendations as would be appropriate to conditions in Utah. 1. Require public hearing before citizens and public officials within the affected governmental unit with respect to the most desirable route. 2. Speed up the process of appointing public appraisers to arrive at a suitable value of property and determination of loss incurred. LITTLE HOOVER COMMISSION REGOMM ENDATIONS We support the elimination of any duplication or unnecessary function of government without destroying the identity and function of essential departments such as the Department of Agriculture; continued election of public officials; keeping the financial safeguard of the Board of Examiners; obtaining the benefits of unpaid qualified citizen boards to set policy for departments; and resolving the question of balance of power between the Executive and Legislative granches of Government by maintaining the balance of power in the people. FISH AND GAME PROGRAMS We encourage the State Farm Bureau to improve its program of public relations with the Fish and Game Commission and the Triangle Committee to the end we become aware at an earlier date of activities instituted by these agencies and so inform our County Fish and Game Committees so that proper action can be taken. We suggest that County Farm Bureaus arrange to meet with Fish and Game representatives in each county to become informed with respect to prospective activities. We feel that Farm Bureau should work with the Fish and Game Commission and the Triangle Committee more closely with respect to use of standard signs for posting property and regulating the use of property for hunting purposes. Much can be accomplished through closer cooperation with these agencies. HUNGARIAN AND CHUKAR PARTRIDGE HUNT We feel that the Hungarian and Chukar Partridge hunting seasons put too much pressure on unharvested dryland crop areas. We urge cooperation between the State Farm Bureau and the Fish and Game Department to alleviate the pressure in these areas; either by closing the areas or reducing the hunting season to not more than fifteen days where the problem exists. Because many crops are not harvested and the birds are often immature, we feel that the opening date should be postponed to about the time of pheasant season. LENGTH OF PHEASANT HUNT The problems of managing pheasants in Utah are unique because of the varying nature of the resource and the social problems encountered. As a consequence, there is no pattern of management based on the experience of other states that is entirely adaptable to Utah. Further, the pheasant is the only game species which occurs primarily on privately owned land and its management depends to a large extent on land use practices ad the willingness of the land-owner to permit its harvest Because of the recreation afforded by the pheasant resource, expenditures of pheasant hunters in urban and rural communities, and problems of publichunting on private lands, virtually everyone has an interest in management of the pheasant resource. Farm Bureau will support a pheasant hunt of three days with additional days in counties where farmers' and sportsmen's organizations have agreed on additional time. PREDATORY ANIMAL FUNDS At the present time funds for control of predatory animals come largely from tax assessments on livestock and turkeys. We ask that the Fish and Game Department contribute $20,000 a year or more toths fund. We recognize a problem exists in the control of predatory animals. This problem is aggravated by recent rulings of the B. L M., Forest Service and Park Service. We pledge Farm Bureau to cooperate with the Utah Cattlemen's Association and the Utah Wool Growers In the development and implementation of a program to give adequate protection from predatory animals. Inasmuch as this ruling by govern- ment agencies requires trappers to refrain from eliminating these predators without proof of their killing livestock, we feel diligence should be exercised in the continuation of an active predatory animal eradication program. In view of the fact that predators are on the increase, we recommend that more funds be made available by Congress for the Fish and Wild Life Service for predatory animal control. We also feel that more poison bait stations be permitted on B. L M. and forest lands where needed. We vigorously oppose any move to put cougar, bear, or coyotes on the protective list ELK HUNT We recommend that elk season be either week prior to deer season or one week after. one - BOW AND ARROW HUNT DEER We recommend that the bow and arrow hunt be held either during the regular hunting season or at a later date. FISH AND GAME LANDS We recommend the Utah State Farm Bureau seek legislation in the 1967 State Legislature which would restrict the acquisition of private lands by the Utah Fish and Game Department, said acquisitions which reduce the tax base of our counties and are detrimental to the economy and future of our state. We further recommend that permissive legislation be passed to provide for workable agreements between the Fish and Game Department and private for range improvements on private lands in areas of critical range depletion. land-owne- rs DAMAGE BY GAME ANIMALS AND BIRDS Because of the difficulty which is present in securing remedy when a landowner is damaged by game animals or birds and because of the unrealistic figure of $200 as a maximum, we will initiate legislation to provide a more practical and fair method of settlement of damage claims. Such settlement should be based on the commonly accepted system of appraisals. DOVE HUNT Due to damage to unharvested crops and fruits and danger to life and property, it is recommended that the dove hunting be eliminated from unharvested crop land, orchards, and densely populated areas. DAIRY INSPECTION There are groups who are now proposing to consolidate the various agencies which are presently inspecting dairy farms with the object of making one agency responsible for these inspections over the entire state. Wefeelthatthisisamove in the right direction as will eliminate duplication and makefor more uniformity. We will, therefore, support legislation which will make this consolidation possible, and the administration shall remain with the State Department of Agriculture. DAIRY PRODUCTS We recommend that Utah State Farm Bureau Dairy Committee investigate the use of butter and other dairy products at all state institutions. Inasmuch as Utah is a dairy producing state, we feel that dairy products should be used, particularly in cafeterias of such institutions. MEAT INSPECTION In order to provide better protection to the consumer and the meat industry, we recommend stricter enforcement of the meat inspection laws. THEFT OF LIVESTOCK Theft or shooting of livestock is on the increase. We believe that better enforcement of the laws on these crimes is needed, and urge the law enforcement agencies of the state lend their efforts in this direction. A stricter enforcement of the brand inspection laws of the state would aid in the apprehension of those engaged in livestock theft. We commend the enforcement officers of the State Fish and Game Department for their aid in apprehending livestock thieves. We urge that individual livestock owners cooperate with law enforcement agencies by swearing out complaints against people who are apprehended in these crimes. WEED CONTROL We suggest that State and County Farm Bureaus work to bring about better control of weeds on public land and also on private land where right-of-way- s, it is neglected. - |