This morning American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman gave his annual address to members during the 2014 Convention. Stallman is a rice and cattle producer from Texas. As you might guess, the farm bill was a key topic of his remarks. He called on Congress to get a farm bill passed. He used Farm Bureau members themselves as an example of how differing opinions can come to agreement.
“This very gathering is about people from different regions and backgrounds coming together to develop policy that benefits all of American agriculture,” he noted.
Another issue he addressed was immigration saying that farmers and ranchers can’t wait any longer for effective, long-term solutions to the agricultural labor crisis, which has forced growers to leave millions of dollars worth of crops unharvested and threatens the country’s food security.
Next was government regulation with EPA in the cross hairs.
With the Environmental Protection Agency late last year putting the wheels in motion to propose extending federal regulatory authority to nearly every body of water in the country—and ultimately regulating so-called “waters” that aren’t even wet most of the time—farmers and ranchers are bracing for a fight. Farm Bureau has also been working through the courts to stop EPA’s attempts to broaden its regulatory reach.
“Once again, we are saddled-up for the long ride in our fight for rational regulations that allow farmers to continue feeding America,” Stallman said.
You can listen to Bob Stallmans’s speech here: Bob Stallman Speech
Following the opening general session Bob spoke with the media and you can listen to it here: Bob Stallman Press Conference