CHESTERTOWN, Md. — A recommendation which, if approved, would deny Maryland Agriculture Secretary Earl “Buddy” Hance the opportunity to address the 97th annual meeting of the Maryland Farm Bureau, has emerged from a recent meeting of the Kent County Farm Bureau.
The recommendation has been forwarded to the Maryland Farm Bureau’s directors for their consideration at a meeting slated for Tuesday, Nov. 13.
Kara Morris, who is in her third year as president of the Kent County Farm Bureau, said the admittedly unusual proposal resulted from “frustration” with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, particularly in the wake of the new nutrient management regulations.
The recommendation is “a preliminary step,” said Morris, “but it’s a start. We want to get it done.”
Official spokespersons for both MDA and MFB declined to comment.
The county meeting was held Oct. 11.
Its principal mission was to formulate policy resolutions which the county Farm Bureau hopes to get approved by the MFB directors and then brought to the floor of the Dec. 2-4 convention at the Clarion Fountainebleau Hotel in Ocean City, Md.
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5 comments:
Farm Bureaus are nothing more than mouthpieces for Big Agri Business. They do nothing for the real true small family farms and farmers.
I don't think that is always the case. Certainly, the farmers from Kent County who proposed blocking Sec. Hance aren't speaking for Big Agri Business.
Likewise, I know that there were several small Wicomico County farmers that spoke at the nutrient management hearing, held at Talbot County Community Center, that had the same complaint, "the State keeps moving the goal line on Maryland farmers" - not Maryland Agri Business.
As a small farmer (less than 100 acres) I strongly disagree with 2:07's comment.
I will admit that the national organization does not typically represent my views, but the local/county groups provide excellent support for my operation on ones like it.
Do your research 3:02 and 2:32.
This for starters---" Rolf Christen, a cattle farmer in Missouri who was at one time an enthusiastic member of his local farm bureau’s board, tells a different story.
Christen realized that the bureau’s “family farmer” talk was cheap when he sought its help battling an industrial scale hog operation with 80,000 animals just up the road from his farm in northern Missouri beginning in 1993. The waste from the facility created a sickening, eye-watering stench that seeped across the land and into the homes of Christen and his neighbors, starting what would be an epic battle against Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that continues to this day."
Many many stories out their like this. Realize when it's between the farmer/producer and Monsanto/Cargill,etc the farm bureau is going to pretend like they never knew the farmer and you will be on your own. The facts speak for themselves.
Some local farm bureaus are even coming out against the sales of raw milk. No surprise there.
Why would they want family-scale dairies making any money when they called them outdated and instead are pushing the “modern” and “efficient” factory farm milk production technique?
Well, If we don't tax you, and get our cut, we can't exist!
Good Idea!
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