2009 POLICY STATEMENT
Missouri Farmers Union

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MISSION STATEMENT
To protect and enhance the economic interests and way of life of family farmers and ranchers and the rural communities they represent.

PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Missouri Farmers Union, strive to achieve and implement the fundamental agricultural principles necessary for a domestically produced food supply system and an independently owned family farm structure.

The goals of the Missouri Farmers Union come from our experiences as family farmers and rural citizens, our understanding of God and the laws of nature, as well as a love for our country and a deep respect for past, present, and future generations.

We believe cooperation comes from knowledge of and respect for other people and cultures. Our spirit of cooperation must continue to grow and not have limits. Our challenge is to take this knowledge and spirit and incorporate it into meaningful policy through legislation on local, state, and national levels.

We believe justice demands an independently owned, family farm system as the foundation for healthy rural communities and proper stewardship of all natural resources.

We believe a strong and productive family farm agriculture is essential to our national security and should be a priority when formulating national security policy.

This document springs from the spirit of Missouri family farmers and ranchers, and all the rural Americans that make up the Missouri Farmers Union.

FOUNDATIONS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL POLICY
Missouri Farmers Union recognizes that food is a universal human right and must be made available for all people.  We support agricultural policy that is directed towards and beneficial to independently owned and operated family farms.  An agriculture program should provide stability and fairness as well as:

• Ensure an adequate and safe food supply system for all people
• Promote links between family farm producers, and consumers
• Enhance the potential for profitability through appropriate legislative and regulatory mechanisms
• Direct farm program benefits toward family farming operations
• Allow planting flexibility for farmers and ranchers
• Promote adequate land stewardship and conservation practices
• Enable producers to derive farm income from the market place
• Provide an adequate economic safety net
• Include livestock producers in food and farm policy and programs
• Promote effective inventory management programs
• Promote programs that will allow the entrance of young and beginning farmers into family farming
• Protect the traditional and historical right of farmers to save their own plant and animal life for reproduction

• Strengthen worker protection standards regarding wage rates, health, safety and housing conditions for migrant, seasonal, minority and other farm laborers and for education of their children.

• Restrict the release of new biotechnology-based products predicated on the "precautionary principle" and release only those products that have proven beneficial effects for family farmers, consumers and the environment

• Increase monitoring and surveillance by government regulatory agencies over biotechnology
• Maintain genetic biodiversity and the purity of the gene pool
• Support mandatory labeling that lists specific types of GMO’s in a product
• Oppose the release of biotechnology that has not been FDA approved for human consumption or that is detrimental to the export market

• Support legislation that protects farmers from liability and awards them real and punitive damages resulting from biotechnology contamination due to industry negligence
• Support the recall of all GMO products that have not met the “precautionary principal,” and full review.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION
Missouri Farmers Union is concerned about the possible effects of climate change and believes further research and analysis is necessary to determine its impact.

• Support farmer and rancher consultation as the U.S. moves forward to reduce its emission of greenhouse gases;
• Support carbon sequestration as an innovative way to enhance income for producers and protect our environment.  Therefore, the trading of carbon credits and the potential for inclusion of carbon sequestration as an agricultural conservation practice for green payments should be encouraged;
• Support carbon sequestration research that is not biased toward a single practice, such as no-till, and instead encompasses other agricultural practices, including grazing lands, energy feedstock production, organic cropping, wood lots, the Conservation Reserve Program and other proven conservation methods;
• Support the continuation and expansion of the Chicago Climate Exchange as a way to compensate farmers and ranchers for sequestering carbon; and
• Support a national mandatory carbon emission cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CONCENTRATION
Consolidation of multi-national food/agribusinesses threatens the existence of family farmers and healthy rural communities as well as a safe food supply.

• Enact a moratorium on approval of mega-agribusiness mergers
• Reenact provisions similar to those contained in the 1921 Packers and Stockyards Act, and provide funding adequate for full enforcement
• Urge Congress to increase funding for anti-trust and P&S enforcement
• Prevent any company or cooperative, including farmer-owned coops, from requiring farmers to accept bundled grain and livestock input sources
• Enact legislation that establishes a level of concentration that is prima facie proof of antitrust violation
• Support legislation to amend the Clayton Antitrust Act to make it clear that a person who suffers indirect as well as direct harm can recover damages for any anti-competitive practice
• Explore anti-trust remedies to prevent concentration on the global level for companies doing business in the U.S.
• Oppose joint ventures or  mergers between cooperative lenders and multi-national corporations

CONSERVATION
Family farmers have a responsibility to maintain and improve the quality of their soil and water resources.  MFU should work to achieve the mutually beneficial objectives of proper stewardship and the maintenance of family farm agriculture.

• Support full funding and implementation of the Conservation Security Program as passed in the 2002 Farm Bill
• Encourage participation by family farmers and family farm advocates on the State Technical Committee
• Support targeting of Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) payments to small and medium sized farms and ranches
• Support making all farm and ranch programs readily and easily accessible by family farmers and ranchers
• Support statewide programs that promote and assist sustainable agriculture
• Initiate a collaborative effort to develop an effective and balanced policy for the Missouri River

CONTRACTS
Currently production and marketing contracts contribute to the captive supply of agricultural products and threaten the existence of independent producers.

• Support policies that protect farmers who contract
• Protect contracting poultry farmers’ rights under Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA.)
• Provide publicly open/posted contracts through USDA and the Dept. of Justice for all commodities and livestock to include poultry and private marketing agreements
• Provide independent producers with legal counseling when contractors have violated their contract
• Support agricultural fair practices through federal bargaining legislation
• Provide a fair trial before a jury of peers rather than mandated arbitration 
• Award producers just compensation in the event a company (contractor) cancels a contract through no fault of the producer

COOPERATIVES
The purpose of a coop is to serve all its members.  Family farmer owned cooperatives are an effective tool through which family farmers reduce the costs of production, maintain a reliable source of inputs and effectively market and process farm products.

• Oppose cooperative involvement in production agriculture in ways that put coops in adverse competition with their family farmer/producer owners
• Urge coop owners/members to provide the education, leadership and management necessary to effectively run local coops
• Encourage the organization and growth of community credit unions as an effective means of rural reinvestment and re-vitalization
• Enhance access to capital for community-based cooperatives and other farmer controlled entities that engage in value-added activity that sustains Missouri farm families and rural communities
• Promote the development of broadband communication cooperatives that would provide the opportunity for access by all rural residents
• Encourage the formation of value-added cooperative efforts that are formed for the welfare of the local community; that are producer owned; controlled through democratic processes and leadership; and whose business affairs are responsive to, and for the benefit of  all its members.

COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN LABELING
We believe consumers should have the information to make informed decisions about the origins of their food.

• Support mandatory country of origin labeling for all food products
• Allow consumers to make informed food choices through adequate product labeling
• Label “Product of the U.S.” only those products produced/born/raised/processed 100% inside the U.S.
• Ensure products coming into the U.S. are not being minimally processed and/or blended inside the U.S., thus making them eligible to obtain a “USDA Inspected” label and to be marketed as a U.S. product

DAIRY
Dairy prices should sustain viable family farms.

• Support regional milk marketing compacts
• Support developing a new basic formula for pricing milk 
• Establish, through BFP, a floor price that applies to all classes of milk
• Support mandatory dairy price reporting
• Measure dairy policy fairness by its ability to:
• Produce reasonable profit for producers
• Provide a high-quality, stable supply for consumers
• Promote sustainable environmental practices
• Enable producers to enter and exit farming
• Eliminate exclusivity practices by contract buyers toward dairy producers; e.g. canceling dairy producers' milk contracts when they hold back any portion of their milk to sell for any other purpose.
• Support farmers, and retailers right to label milk BST free, and the consumers right to know

ECONOMIC AND TAX POLICY
Estate Tax
We support:

• The estate tax as the federal government's only tax on accumulated wealth; without the estate tax, unrealized capital gains would remain untaxed forever--because the income tax forgives those deferred taxes at death. 
• The estate tax as a more equitable system of paying for government, it encourages charitable giving, helps build character, promotes America's core economic and democratic values, and is good for rural communities and family farmers. 
• Indexing the exemption annually
• Implementing graduated rates

Taxes
We support:

• A more equitable, progressive, and sustainable federal and state tax structure
• An equitable and progressive tax system that allows the majority of people to pay less because those with the very highest incomes pay more
• A tax system that fairly and adequately provides revenues for the programs and services that are essential to good governance and the general welfare
• Full deductibility for individual payment of premiums for health care, long-term care, and disability
• Provisions in the tax code that reduce concentrations of wealth and power, and promote equality of economic opportunity.
• A refundable federal and state earned income tax that allows the working poor to keep more of their earned income

1031 EXCHANGES
We Oppose:

• 1031 Exchanges as currently enacted

We Support:

• Reform of the tax code to eliminate or restructure 1031 Exchanges in such a way that they do not work against the interests of family farmers, rural communities, and the common good.

ENERGY
Energy is the lifeblood of our mechanized society.  Dependence on foreign sources of fuel threatens not only our way of life but also the ability of family farmers to raise the food, fuel and fiber on which our nation depends.

• Urge development of community-based, sustainable, alternative, and renewable fuel and energy production systems

• Encourage research and utilization of  alternative sources of energy for Missouri e.g. wind, solar, biomass, bio-diesel, hybrid technology, innovative battery technology and other alternative fuel sources
• Enact legislation to prohibit the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in reformulated gasoline to be sold in the state of Missouri

•  Support labeling of all fuel products containing ethanol

• Support efforts to establish alternative fuel refueling stations in Missouri i.e. E-85 stations, bio-diesel capabilities at truck stops and card stations, blended pumps
• Strongly encourage and support energy conservation
• Allow rural electrical cooperatives to provide utility service to new customers and  local communities in areas in which they currently are prohibited due to population increase caps
• Support net metering of utilities that target and benefit individual rate payers and family farmers
• Support targeting government assistance for green energy programs to family farmers and community-based local businesses
• Support education, research and development for production of cellulosic energy sources
•  Support regulation of utility companies
• Support access to dependable, consistent, affordable, sustainable utilities for all rural areas.

HEALTH CARE
Access to health care services is sorely deficient in many, if not most, of the rural areas of the state.  Obtaining health care services is especially difficult for the rural elderly who can no longer drive and live in those areas where public and affordable transportation services do not exist.  Family farmers notably are lacking in health care coverage.    Being in an occupation considered more dangerous than most others increases health insurance rates for family farmers, and finally the reality is that most health insurers have considerably higher rates for single family coverage, and there is no provision for group rates among family farmers. 

• Support universal single-payer health care access
• Make emergency services more accessible to rural residents
• Support legislation that would allow/facilitate the development of alliances between/among family farmers, small businesses and the self employed that would help them secure affordable health care coverage
• Support legislation that would prevent health care providers from discriminating against people without health insurance by charging them higher fees than those with health insurance
• Prevent health insurance companies from excluding applicants on the basis of pre-existing conditions.
• Support publicly provided health care for all children 0 to 18 years of age.

Revision of Medicare Part D for Prescription Drug Coverage
We support:

• Elimination of control over the program by insurance companies,
• Removal of the so called, “donut hole”  
• Simplification    
• Full coverage for all prescription drugs   

LIVESTOCK

• Strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act and Anti-trust laws

• Urge the Secretary Of Agriculture to enforce Packers & Stockyards laws

• Oppose vertical integration by processors into production agriculture
• Support anti-trust legislation to limit the market-share percentage of captive supplies
•  Support ban on packer ownership of livestock feeding operations, including corporate ownership or corporate financing of non-farmer owned operations
• Urge Congress to supply adequate funding for family farm based agricultural programs
• Promote the development of local and regional livestock processing facilities that enhance the profitability of independent producers through open and competitive bidding
• Support a meat inspection, grading, and labeling system that protects food safety and quality, and the integrity of the family farm food system.
• Support the right of processors to access domestic and international markets that demand source-verified or BSE-tested livestock
• Oppose any system of mandatory animal, or premise identification
• Ensure any animal identification system that may be adopted is government administered
• Oppose privatization of dog breeder inspections
• Precede any rule change in the USDA Animal Welfare Act with an appropriate comment period and only then record it in the Federal Register
• Support fair and even inspection and regulation of dog breeders throughout the states
• Support teaching animal welfare, as opposed to animal rights, through educational programs and agricultural organizations
• Support humane treatment of all domesticated animals, and their right to have proper food, shelter and water for survival
• Oppose the regulation of domestic livestock and animal husbandry by ballot initiative.
• Support USDA inspected humane harvesting of livestock including horses for meat markets

LOCAL CONTROL
In a democratic system of government, elected public officials make many decisions that have a profound impact on the lives and well being of its citizens.  We believe that these important decisions are most likely to yield positive community results when the process occurs closest to where citizens live and work, and when local citizens are able to participate more fully in the decision-making processes that will affect them, their families and their community.  Strong local government is essential in protecting and promoting grassroots democracy throughout Missouri.

• Support county governments ability to maintain their democratic rights to enact health ordinances that protect the public health of their citizens
• Support legislation that enables local government (i.e. municipal, township, county) to enact ordinances, planning, and zoning that serve the best interests of the local community and that are democratically enacted
• Oppose state and federal government, or any international and/or quasi-governmental structure, from enacting laws, regulations or rules that give them the ability to put in place sanctions; or to otherwise impede or negate the right of local communities to enact labor, environmental, health, or safety laws, regulations, ordinances, planning, or zoning that serve the best interests of the local community

PATENTING

• Disallow any person to sell, distribute, or use a non-germinating, genetically-engineered seed- rendered incapable of naturally producing second-generation seed (including terminator and/ or suicide seeds) 
• Oppose  any new commercial patenting of life forms
• Support the promotion of research in and commercialization of high quality, conventionally bred, and non-genetically modified seed

Public Schools

• Oppose unfunded federal mandates to state and local school authorities
• Support publicly funded, community based schools with reasonable child-to-teacher ratios
• Support adequate and equitable funding of rural schools
• Support decision making regarding consolidation of school districts be made at the local level
• Oppose forced school district consolidation by the Missouri General Assembly
• Oppose giving control of public schools to private enterprises such as charter or contract schools, and all school voucher programs
• Promote farm-to-cafeteria programs
• Support serving only wholesome, nutritious food in public schools and other institutions
• Support legislation that funds and requires all Missouri public schools to provide free breakfast, lunch and after school meals to low income children; with said meals being prepared solely from food produced in the United States

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
Research and education involving farm and food issues should be carried out in the public interest and for the common good.

• Support increased funding for research, education and development that under girds family farming, organic and sustainable agricultural methods
•  Increase research that protects a family farm/sustainable system of agriculture
• Support intellectual property rights, paid for by taxpayer monies, remaining in the public domain
• Strengthen consumer education regarding the issues/policies impacting independent family farmers and ranchers and its relevance to consumer health and safety
• Encourage public participation in the development of University research agendas
• Support development of agriculture curricula at all educational levels that build and support family farming and sustainable agriculture methods
• Support nutrition education that focuses on sustainability and community development

• Support practices and policies that reduce and eliminate pesticides found on pollen used by honeybees
• Support further research into those issues challenging bee populations such as colony collapse syndrome.

STATE ASSISTED PROGRAMS
We support funds and/or loan guarantees that are administered by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, as well as, all other state-assisted programs that may benefit agriculture and are directed to the needs of independent family farmers/producers.

RURAL COMMUNITY
Missouri’s educational institutions should adopt courses of study that encourage entrepreneurship, enhance rural communities, and return young adults to rural areas.

• Press state and local governments to enact so-called “Aggie Bond” programs as allowed under federal law
• Support establishing a “Farm Link” program to join beginning farmers with established farmers
• Support development of social and political infrastructures that will allow the targeting of agriculture policies, programs, and benefits necessary to encourage the entrance of young people into family farming
• Support any effort to assist and encourage rural entrepreneurship by youth

• Support the creation of a state Farm-to-Cafeteria program that includes opportunity and funding for Missouri schools, hospitals, institutions and small businesses to purchase from community-based Missouri producers.
• Support stringent efforts by Missouri law enforcement and prevention agencies to halt illegal drug production and trafficking in rural Missouri;
• Oppose a reduction of federal drug task force funding to local communities;
• Support providing state and federal assistance and resources to Missouri family farmers and rural communities to compensate for damages incurred by drug trafficking and/or the law enforcement activity designed to counter it, and to implement prevention, treatment, and educational programs.  

TRADE
We believe all international trade agreements should be based on principles of fair trade.  Future trade agreements should not be encouraged until issues of past agreements that have resulted in adverse impacts for Missouri agriculture (family farmers) are resolved.  It is crucial to fair trade negotiations that imported products adhere to standards found in the U.S. with respect to worker safety, environmental protection, consumer safety and public liability.

• Support fair trade agreements that address currency fluctuations and appropriate health, labor, environmental and safety standards
• Exempt U.S. agriculture from WTO trade sanctions
• Orient trade policy to the domestic producer
• Establish the needs of the U.S. family farmer and rancher as a priority issue
• Utilize agricultural exports to enhance family farmer and rancher price and income

U.S. Border Safeguards to Domestic Livestock Health and Safety
We support:

• Allowing only beef from animals under 30 months of age to enter from the nation of Canada,
• USDA maintaining the health and integrity of the US livestock industry by promoting policy that protects US borders from penetration by foreign and contagious diseases
• USDA advocate for US livestock producers and not the international marketplace
• USDA issuing directives that protect the integrity of the US livestock industry and the sovereignty of the United States border.

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS

COMMUNITY BASED RENEWABLE ENGERY
WHEREAS, our national leaders have passed and initiated renewable fuels standards intended to benefit farmers, consumers and the ecology; and
WHEREAS, potential renewable energy resources exist in nearly every rural community; and
WHEREAS, capturing and producing renewable energy is a significant economic opportunity for farm families and rural Missouri communities; and
WHEREAS, our nations security, economic and ecological interests are best served with a highly diverse, sustainable source of renewable energy;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Missouri Farmers Union supports aggressive expansion and acceleration of the Renewable Fuels Standard, (E.G. 20% sustainable and renewable by the year 2020), net metering and other incentives that focus on the production of community-based, locally owned, renewable energy such as cellulosic, wind, solar and bio-mass; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Missouri Farmers Union supports the creation of a farm-stored Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve, dedicated to the storage and production of community-based energy feedstocks to ensure a dependable long-term, uninterrupted supply of these raw materials.

EMINENT DOMAIN
Whereas, MFU opposes taking private property by eminent domain for private entities, and
Whereas, should land be obtained by eminent domain for a public purpose, which is later, cancelled or voided, the land should revert to the original owner/s.

PROPERTY RIGHTS
We support sticker enforcement of federal and state laws that protect farmer property rights and require legal search warrants and governmental law enforcement representation before entering farm fields and animal facilities.

The 2009 Missouri Farmers Union Policy was adopted by the membership at the Annual Convention January 30-31, 2009.