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Show December 1972 Utah Farm Bureau News may be feasible with recognition to differences in dition. PREDATOR Predator losses have reached serious increased 100 percent to 300 from proportions, having 4 the last The most effective and percent during years. selective tool has been taken away by Presidential Order and E.P.A. regulation. We recommend that more money be made available to control predatory animals. We support the bounty principle as a tool in control. Hie bounty rate should be set at a figure that will effectively control predator numbers. We support the proposal of modifying the Presidential Order and the E.P.A. regulations to allow emergency use of chemical toxicants for coyote control until more acceptable methods of control are made available through research and control. con- of livestock PUBLIC LAND POLICIES are opposed to the further withdrawal of public lands in the State of Utah for National Parks and wilderness areas. With over 65 percent of Utah already in public ownership, we oppose the further acquisition of private lands by any public agencies. We Page 5 EMINENT DOMAIN Individual private parties whose land is involved in federal condemnation proceedings often find that their efforts to seek relief in the federal courts seriously delay equitable settlement and are often exceedingly expensive. We support establishment of a civilian review board, independent of government agencies to which property owners could appeal condemnation decisions before proceeding in the courts. In court proceedings challenging the authority of an agency to take property, or proceedings resulting in awards to the landowner in excess of compensation offered by the public agency involved, the favorable decision should in addition, reimburse the landowner for attorneys fees, appraisal costs, and other reasonable expenses. The power of eminent domain should not be used for national parks, wildlife refuges, riding and hiking trails, or other recreational projects. It should be used with restraint in other cases. FLOOD CONTROL We urge Farm Bureau support of soil and water conservation activities of our organized soil conservation districts. We call attention to the fact that there are times when natural resources impose serious threats upon other natural resources; some of these resources are privately owned while others are publicly owned. An example of this is where rivers overflow banks and flood or destroy private farm lands and other properties. In some cases, stream flow may be controlled or regulated by upstream water management practices. We request that standards of use be established by the state agricultural commission so that use priorities can be set to protect against damage to private property or that reimbursement may be paid for damages done. Careful land use planning on flood plain areas should receive top priority in overall long range planning. We recommend that reservoir level control needs careful consideration from all that have authority to regulate or control the amount of water that may be impounded in water storage facilities. Proper control at such reservoir sites may be an important factor for downstream flood prevention. We urge the Farm Bureau to call upon the proper Federal and state agencies and see that consideration be given this matter. IMPORTS 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 conform with established quotas together with reasonable duties to prevent depressing the market. Foreign meat brought into the United States should be labeled as such. Foreign meats should be required to meet the same inspection standards as domestic meat, including the actual inspection of processing plants and animals. FOREIGN MINK IMPORTS Foreign imports are adversely affecting the mink dustry. We support action to limit such fur imports. in- LAND 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 well adapted to sheep, and whereas the number of sheep in the United States is only about one-thir- d that of former years, now therefore, be it resolved that the Farm Bureau use its influence to persuade the United States Government to purchase more of its supplies of wool, lamb, and mutton from this country and less from foreign governments. 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 to 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 upon: 1. A well defined program to provide technical assistance at a level which is consistent with each nation's current state 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 agression. 3. VALUE ADDED TAX We oppose any and all forms of the value added tax. 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. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE State governments should continue to have primary responsibility for the construction, maintenance, location, and policing of highways. State highway funds should be allocated among categories of highways by state legislatures, with appropriate consideration for rural roads. Within each category of highways, funds should be allocated on the basis of need as determined by objective ratings. As the interstate system approaches completion we urge more emphasis on primary and secondary road improvements. Routs should be chosen to avoid diagonal highways and the use of productive agricultural lands where feasible. Adequate indemnity should be provided for reduction of We commend the Secretary of Agriculture for his efforts to improve U.S. agriculture income, especially his efforts to raise income through the market place. Private interests should participate in long-rang- e state highway planning. Multiple use of highway rights-of-wa- y should be made wherever feasible. Federal financing of highways should be on a basis. We oppose diversion of federal highway trust funds and the use of automotive excise taxes to finance related mass transit projects or for other for tax funds of use We the also general oppose purposes. highway construction. Trucks should bear their proper share, as determined by research, of the costs of building and maintaining highways. We favor legislation to provide for proportionate reduction of federal highway use taxes on trucks used on a part-tim- e basis. We favor such increases in size and weight ceilings for interstate highways as may be demonstrated by research and investigation to be consistent with safety and highway preservation, provided that states retain authority to fix the limits within such ceilings. We urge as much uniformity among the states as WAGE AND PRICE FREEZE Farm Bureau supports the President in his efforts to curb inflation. We feel however that in order to bring inflation under control it will require a balanced federal budget and wage increases, geared only to increases in productivity. Farm Bureau should take a definite stand against spiraling wage and price increases by labor unions and industrial concerns. MINIMUM WAGE We oppose raising the minimum wage for labor. Young, people and students have difficulty finding employment where high minimums are the rule. STRIKES Many kinds of strikes should be prohibited in the public interest, including the following: 1. A strike by local, state or federal government employees. 2. A strike in agriculture SCHOOL LUNCH We recommend that children who receive free lunches should do some work for them. CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY or in an agricultural processing plant during a critical period of production or liar vesting. 3. A strike to force modification of U.S. foreign policy or the enactment or nonenforcement of legislation. 4. An industrywide strike. 5. A strike to compel an employer to employ unnecessary workers. 6. A 7. A HIGHWAYS access. legislature. The proposed amendment should provide that all electors be mandated to cast their presidential votes as did a plurality of the voters in their respective districts or states. We oppose proposals to use the popular vote as the sole determinant in presidential elections. jurisdictional strike. strike against a regulated public utility. EMPLOYMENT OF MINORS We urge support for state and national legislation that will lower the minimum age for farm employment in nonhazardous farm work. OVERTIME WAGE RATES support regular wage rales during seasonal agricultural work periods rather than overtime rates work week. We recommend that the beyond regulation exception for overtime in agriculture continue. We 40-ho- ur wage-and-ho- ur POLLUTION AND PESTICIDES The ideal of clean water and air is in agreement with Farm Bureau philosophy and the Farm Bureau supports action to attain this goal. However, we believe enabling legislation on environmental issues allows regulatory agencies excessive authority to promulgate regulations to implement these laws. We urge Congress to reassert their constitutional responsibility to enact laws and to assure that the intent of these laws is adhered to be regulatory agencies. We urge that environmental administrators base their decisions for corrective measures on well researched data. We feel that too many decisions are bring influenced by only partial and undocumented information. We oppose a complete ban on the use of any agricuHural chemical. The continued use of these products should be based on research and scientific data. All commissions and boards that deal with pollution problems should have bona fide farmers and ranchers as members. TOLERANCE FOR PESTICIDES Our food supplies must be protected from toxic and carcinogenic materials. However, we feel that standards which set zero tolerances for such materials are unrealistic and usually unnecessary. We support legislation that will set reasonable levels for their materials. GOVERNMENT POLICY IN VIETNAM We feel that wherever and whenever American troops Federal income tax be kept in its present form. are committed to military action such as the present conflict in Vietnam, military commanders, under the direction of the Defense Department, should have the full support of the nation in doing whatever is necessary to bring such conflicts to a speedy and honorable conclusion. Wre also feel that U.S. forces should not be committed to future foreign conflicts without declaration of war. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY VITENAM WAR PRISONERS We favor the Consumer Protection Agency to be advisory group and not of policy-makin- g status. just an CAPITAL GAINS PROVISION We recommend that the capital gains provision of the pay-as-we-- go non-highw- ay We support the efforts of the American Farm Bureau in working for changes in the Occupational Safety and Health Act that will benefit agriculture. We urge that no more restrictions be placed on agriculture by the revisions of this act. 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 remaineder of such electors shall be elected from congressional districts as determined by the state ask the Utah Farm Bureau to write bur Congressmen 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 VIETNAM WAR Whereas, the people of the United States in regular free election elected the President of the United States to perform his lawful duties; |