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Show Special Message to Farm Bureau Members On Labor Unions and Farm Exports A By Elmo V. Hamilton, President Utah Farm Bureau Federation A AFL-CI- boycott O now-veto- against loading U.S. grain bound for the Soviet Union brings to a head an issue many of us have long seen as potentially explosive. It is the question of whether organized labor will be allowed to dictate trade policy of the United States of America. Its bigger than wheat sales to Russia. Today its wheat. But tomorrow it could be a boycott against the 10 million pounds of poultry we export, or the 240 million pounds of dairy products and the 172 million pounds of meat we export. elecOr what if the AFL-CItronic workers told longshoremen not to unload foreign-pro- d uced radios, TVs or hundreds other foreign electronic items we use. Virtually every radio sold in America is made elsewhere. One in every five autos in America was produced elsewhere. Shoes, clothing, appliances. . .the list goes on. Overall, our farm exports give us a favorable trade balance. four-pag- e the questioitiU:kly boils down to in whether a special interest group AFL-CIwill be al this case the lowed to arrogantly destroy America's reputation as a reliable supplier of food for hungry people. And whether the Stale Department will continue to oversee basic trade policy for the United Slates of America. Make no mistake about it. This is one of the biggest issues our republic has ever faced. Farm Bureau stands firm for the principle that U.S. farmers and ranchers should be allowed to sell their products on the open market. We stand equally firm against the notion that George Meany should be allowed to dictate the trade policies of America. We are pleased that the National Labor Relations Board has ruled the union action an illegal secondary boycott. Although the union has appealed, the grain is being loaded at this writing. Farm Bureau took the case to the NLRB. We are working diligently on these goals. If you have suggestions. I'd like to hear from you. O O Farm Bureau policy on labor unions is as follows: of employees to bargain collectively. However, we condemn the use by either labor or management of force, coercion, . We uphold the right intimidation, secondary boycotts, or other unfair means designed to force its will upon the other. The union boycott on loading grain is economic blackmail. George Special policy development section A special plex. ed 1 Os maSeem very comButW the farmer or rancher, Nterjssue Meany wants agriculture to support the cargo preference bill which would force more and more goods to be shipped in U.S. vessels. That sounds good, but such legislation would force prices up sharply and would infringe upon rights of other nations. Mr. Meany says, Foreign trade policy is too important to be left to the Secretary of State." He added that President Ford, with Ienry Kissinger at the head of the parade, must come to him with proof that the grain sales will not raise prices lor American consumers. Is AFL-CIpresident George a Meany, plumber from the Bronx, better qualified than the State Department to make foreign policy? Is Mr. Meany willing to give consumers any kind of a guarantee that his unions' huge wage increases will not affect consumer prices? Indeed, hasnt Mr. Mcany's rhetoric about adequate supplies of grain given processors and manufacturers excuse to raise bread prices, despite the fact that wheat prices today are 35 percent lower than a year ago? -- zs section on policy issues that are vital to Utah farming and ranching is contained in this month's Utah Farm Bureau News. As county Farm Bureau policy development meetings take place during the coming weeks, members will find this information helpful in considering county policy and recommendations for state and national resolutions. Why not pull out this special center section of this issue and save it for reference as you study these agricultural issues? New member service Farm Bureau initiates livestock marketing network Members of the Utah Farm Bureau now have a way to offer feeder cattle, beef breeding stock and dairy replacements for sale nationwide through a new livestock listing service. The American Agricultural Marketing Association (AAMA) of the American Farm Bureau will operate the 22-sta- te service. electronic communications methods will put buyers and sellers from various parts of the country in almost immediate contact. Details of the program and a listing form appear in the October 1975 issue of the American Farmer magazine, published by AFBF. Information provided on the listing form will be entered into the data bank of the AFBF Speedline communications system and will be available 24 hours a day. Utah buyers will be able to get the listings by contacting John Keeler, UFBF director of commodity services and manager of the Utah Agricultural Marketing Association. His office is at the Farm Bureau Center, 5300 South High-spee- d NEW IN THIS ISSUE! Anew CLASSIFIED ADS service to Utah Farm Bureau free classified advermembers starts in this issue. Every tising UFBF member family- is entitled to one free ad each month. See page 6 for details. And be a wise consult the Classified shopper Ads each month, as well as the display ads in the Utah Farm Bureau News. - 360 West, Salt Lake City 84107. Phone (801)261-242- VOL. XXI, NO. 10 October 1 975 Salt Lake City, Utah Policy action to highlight UFBF meet 4. A small charge will be made for the service to pay part of the costs. The fee is 25 cents per head, with a maximum of $20, to list livestock for sale. Half of that fee will be refunded if the seller lets the state Farm Bureau office or AAMA know within 24 hours after the sale that the animals have been sold. If this system is successful, other commodities may be marketed on the same basis. House halts move to kill import duty on baler twine Urging by Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups has failed to move the U.S. House of Representatives from its position of a complete freeze on a bill aimed to help solve baler twine shortages in this country. Congressman William Steiger of Wisconsin introduced H.R. 5629 weeks ago in an attempt to remove the 20 percent import duty on baler and bijuJ-- er twine coming into the United States. U.S. farmers and ranchers must import about 85 percent of their needs. The high penally on imports has driven prices up and increased food produc- -' lion costs. However, a subcommittee of the House ways and means committee has declined to take action on the proposal, meaning it has been tabled indefinitely. A commerce department spokesman indicated that administration to be a part of wants trade negotiations. duty-reducti- on convention goers who attend the Utah Farm Bureau Federation's annual meeting v November 1975. Setting state Farm Bureau policy is an important item of ljusincss, along with electing officers and honoring winners of various FB con- 1 tests. County awards will go to the top counties of various sizes in several areas trf activity. Former AFBF president Charles Shuman will be a featured speaker. 19-2- 0, s ukjLK '.ri-iAL- Jfv. 1 L - V -- C JT JTA-- I Art L I lskAh' Y |