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Show November, Page Utah Farm Bureau News 1972 2 WHY HAVE A CONVENTION? NOTE: The following represents several excellent ideas about holding conventions in Farm Bureau by Walter J. Kautz, President of Florida Farm Bureau. It is appropriate, at this time, for us to examine the real significance of our annual convention. Considerable time and effort goes into planning a convention that will be informative, entertaining and serve as an opportunity to recognize county leaders and achievements. However, the basic considerations which take precedence over all others, include the following : ANNUAL REPORTS: In order for the delegate body and members to know and understand what is happening in Farm Bureau, they must have a progress report concerning the various activities in which the members have requested our organization to become involved. The status of our financial condition must be at the top of our list of reports, to give the membership notice of the health and financial position of Farm Bureau. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: The nomination and election of directors to serve on the State Board is a responsibility of the delegates that should be taken very seriously. For an organization to be able to serve its membership, it must have progressive thinking and active leadership. As our programs grow and become more involved, directors with business acumen will be a definite asset. A willingness to attend Board of Directors' meetings should be an essential requirement of those selected to serve. DELEGATE ACTION ON RESOLUTIONS AND Farm Bureau stands apart from most organizations in its method of determining policy. There is an opportunity for any member, who so desires, to present his views on any given subject. The county Farm Bureaus have a responsibility to provide a forum for members to present and act on resolutions. An involved membership can be the greatest asset of any county Farm Bureau and one that is vita My necessary in getting legislators to suggest our policies. A declining percentage of farmers will require more unity and cooperation than ever before, to get positive results. We must be deeply concerned with the many issuet .ddng the citizens of this land. Our resolutions should be well thought out, for we must be able to sustain our positions with facts and figures. Out of the action of the delegates, comes Farm Bureau's marching orders for the next year. Another important function of the delegates is to act on changes changes are necessary from time to presented to the convention. time to keep our organization up to date and representative of membership needs. It is quite evident that failure to have proper representation in the past, has built up a sense of frustration and a definite unwillingness for members in those counties to cooperate in many of our new programs. We must put aside sectionalism and petty prejudices, and begin working together as a team -- to help each other in special commodity problems, to promote the general welfare of all members and to acknowledge that a healthy attitude promotes a stronger Farm Bureau. This is what our convention is all about-- to develop policies and programs of work, rules which can stand the test of adversity and yet champion the farmer in his is Farm Bureau inaction! time of stress BY-LAW- S: . By-La- w By-La- w --t- his One of the tragedies of an age in which fewer and fewer people know what it takes to produce food from the land, is the blind resentment toward producers when the price of a beefsteak inches upward a few cents. When Life magazine ran a feature on Meat Counter Miseries, it of misunderstanding perhaps, nnmnsHnusly, dramatized the gulf of between city and farm. It told of a family suburban dwellers with a backyard swimming pool, two cars and other conveniences, and luxuries of citylife who apparently could not make ends meet because of high meat prices. Readers could easily overlook the l&s dramatic aspects of the article, which told of the high costs of meat production from range to dinner table, over which the meat industry has no control. Commenting on the Life piece, a meat industry official said: . . . youve clearly shown that the price of meat is not due to middlemen and farmer profiteering at the publics expense, but the price of putting the product from ranch and feedlot into and out of the retail counter. The people between the farmer and consumer are meat-foo- d literally millions of other consumers who draw wages in the industry butchers, checkout counter girls, stockboys, truck drivers, tire salesmen, meat inspectors, secretaries, packinghouse workers in man next door thousands of job descriptions. The honest, , middle-manof not some cabal is the conspirators. American agriculture is the most efficient on earth, and so are the processing and distribution channels that bring the abundance of the farm to the family dinner table. This is one of the reasons why some right to cheap beefsteaks. people think there is a God-give-n Food in Early America When consumers find time to complain about the price of food, it seems time has arrived to do a little reflecting on the past. Starting a farm operation with little more than a hoe and a shovel must seem overwhelming when judged by todays standards. Problems existed then with shortages. It wasnt easy to get everyone to take part in growing and harvesting enough food. There have always been the loafers, the complainers, that eat from the labor of others. When the Governor decreed to the Pilgrims that they should set com, every man for his own, the Pilgrims began to take the com planting seriously. Today would be a good day for each of us to see if the work we do will provide for our own wants and desires. Fortunately, it only takes 5 percent of the population to feed the nation and a considerable number in addition. This doesnt mean that the 95 percent can sit idly by and take from the others. It does mean that everyone must work at their professon, or trade in such a way that plenty of goods and services wUl be produced in abundance for all. November is a time of the year for all Americans to recount their many blessings. There is virtually nothing that will make life comfortable and meet the necessities of life that cant become available if proper application is made of time and talent toward that end. This condition is a somewhat singular blessing available to U. S. citizens and not many more countries. We would do well to show gratitude for a great heritage by doing what we can to preserve the system. From the time of the Revolution, the American political dialogue has dealt much with the Rights of the Citizens, but to a much lesser degree with the Duties and Responsibilities of the subjects of government. James Truslow Adams, in his Epic of America, wrote that . . . even if the people are sovereign, it is evident that the individual is still subject We may be subject to ourselves in our collective capacity as the sovereign people, but we are subject Because of this strong feeling for the rights of the individual, says Adams, there developed, especially in die first days of manhood suffrage, an objection to enforcing laws unpleasantly against ones fellow sovereigns. He cites as an illustration, a serious riot in Baltimore in which the city fell to the mercy of a mob. so-call- ed - - hard-worki- ng body of citizens met at the Exchange in Baltimore to draw up a set of resolutions in favor of public order, while a crowd of drunken men and boys were absurdly threatening the town. An old Revolutionary soldier, who was 84 years of age at the time, broke in on the discussion . . . Damn your resolutions! Give me a A sword and 30 men and I will restore order. The chairman of the citizens group sought to pacify the old man by asking, But General Smith, would you fire on your fellow citizen? To which the old fellow replied: THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAWS, DRIVE THEIR NEIGHBORS FROM THEIR HOUSES, PLUNDER THEIR PROPERTY, AND REDUCE THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN TO BEGGARY, ARE NOT MY FELLOW CITIZENS. It was reported General Smith, at age 84, was soon after elected mayor and that he did restore order. May we recognize our blessings of wealth and freedom in America this Thanksgiving and be grateful. UTAH FARM BUREAU iHi NEWS Published each month by the Utah Farm Bureau Federation at Salt Lake Cky, Utah. Editorial and Business Office, 629 Esst Fourth South, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102. Subscription price of twenty-fiv- e cents per year to members is included in membership fee. 'pi TO BE A FARMER I'M PROUD and a FARM BUREAU MEMBER Second Class postage paid at Salt Lake City, Utah UTAH FARM BUREAU FEDERATION Elmo W. Hamilton, Riverton OFFICIALS President Jay Child, Clearfield Vice President V. Allen Olsen Executive Secretory Neil D. Sumsion Editor DIRECTORS: A. Alton Hoffman, Smithfield; William Holmes, Ogden; Jack Brown, Grantsville; Edward Boyer, Springville, Kenneth Brasher, Huntington; Jerold Johnson, Aurora; Artond Kawkins, Hurricane; Mrs. Willis Whitbeck, Bennion, Stanley Jackson, Ogden. S. |