2007 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 A FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 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

AGRICULTURE LABOR
The National Labor Relations Act should be extended to workers on corporate and other farms that employ enough hired help to be subject to the federal minimum wage provisions applicable to agricultural workers.
• Strengthened 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.

BIOTECHNOLOGY
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have created a series of ethical, environmental, food safety, legal, market and structural issues that impact everyone in the food chain. Consumer and producer concerns must be addressed.
• 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 detrimentally effects the export market
• Oppose the release for sale of GMO wheat
• Support legislation that protects farmers from liability and awards them real and punitive damages resulting from biotechnology contamination due to industry negligence

CONCENTRATION
Consolidation of multi-national food/agribusinesses is threatening 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 merges between cooperative lenders and multi-national corporations

CONTRACTS
Currently production and marketing contracts contribute to the captive supply of agricultural products and threatens the existence of independent producers.
• Support policies that protect growers.
• Protect contract poultry growers rights under Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) law
• 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 as an option to 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 owner/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 are too low to 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:
o Produce reasonable profit for producers
o Provide a high-quality, stable supply for consumers
o Promote sustainable environmental practices
o 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.

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 into 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
• 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 targets and benefits 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
• Oppose deregulation of utility companies

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 are 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 in large part due to the loss of adequate income from the farming operation. 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.

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
• Oppose direct packer ownership of livestock, including corporate ownership or corporate financing of non-farmer owned operations
• Support restrictions on the price reporting on domestic and imported livestock and products
• Urge Congress to supply adequate funding for family farm based agricultural programs
• Support legislation to allow interstate shipment of state inspected meat as long as state standards meet or exceed federal inspection standards
• Promote the development of local and regional livestock processing facilities that will enhance the profitability of independent producers through open and competitive bidding
• Oppose changing the grading-label system for beef
• Support the right of processors to access domestic and international markets that demand source-verified, BSE-tested beef
• Oppose any system of mandatory animal identification that would shift greater liability to independent producers and that lacks producer privacy protections
• 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
• Oppose any ban on the humane harvesting of livestock including horses

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 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 the commercial patenting of life forms

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
• Devote land grant colleges and universities to research that protect 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

SOIL AND WATER 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 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

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

YOUTH IN RURAL COMMUNITIES
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

TAXES
• Support a more equitable, progressive, and sustainable federal and state tax structure in Missouri

TRADE
We believe all international trade agreements should be based on principles of fair trade. Future trade agreements shall 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 be produced under standards substantially similar to those 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

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS

COMMUNITY BASED RENEWABLE ENERGY
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, 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.

FARM VICTIMS COMPENSATION FUND (PROPOSED and referred to committee for consideration at 2008 convention)
Whereas MFU supports a farmer’s right to store their grain or fiber as a means to receive a higher price for their grain or fiber, and
Whereas, MFU recognizes the vulnerability of storing such products due to criminal and governmental activities beyond a farmer’s control;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Missouri Farmers Union supports establishing a “farm victims compensation fund” to reimburse farmers for the value of their products when ownership of said products ceases to rest with them due to criminal or governmental activities.

FARM-TO-CAFETERIA PROGRAM
Whereas, MFU is dedicated to providing Missouri school children, employees, medical patients and all Missouri consumers with food that is superior in health and quality,
Whereas, MFU strives to open markets for family farmers and local producers, and
Whereas, MFU is dedicated to the sustainability of the Missouri agriculture system, through a buy local philosophy.
Therefore, be it resolved that MFU supports the creation of a state Farm-to-Cafeteria program that includes opportunity and funding for Missouri schools, hospitals, institutions and small business to purchase from community-based Missouri producers.

ILLEGAL DRUG PROBLEM IN RURAL MISSOURI
Whereas, Missouri has become a leading state in the production and sale of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs and
Whereas, rural Missouri has been the target area for illegal drug production and trafficking and
Whereas, Missouri farm families and rural communities bear social and economic hardships related to these activities,
Therefore, be it resolved that the Missouri Farmers Union supports stringent efforts by Missouri law enforcement and prevention agencies to halt this activity in rural Missouri, and opposes a reduction of federal drug task force funding to local communities,
Therefore, be it further resolved, that MFU supports state and federal assistance and resources be provided to Missouri family farmers and rural communities to compensate for damages incurred by this activity and to implement prevention, treatment, and educational programs.

INHERITANCE TAX
Whereas the estate tax is the federal government's only tax on accumulated wealth, and
Whereas, the estate tax does more than raise revenue, it also helps reduce concentrations of power and promote equality of economic opportunity, and
Whereas the estate tax receives all its revenues from the wealthiest 1.4%--and two thirds of it from the top 0.2%, making it a very progressive tax and,
Whereas, progressivity allows most people to pay less because those with the highest incomes pay more, and
Whereas, a fair tax system shouldn't push poor people even deeper into poverty and it shouldn't ask middle-income families to forgo the necessities and pleasures of life so that rich people can enjoy even more luxurious lifestyles, and
Whereas, progressive taxes can mitigate the inequalities that capitalism demands without stifling incentives, and
Whereas, the bulk of the largest wealth accumulations have never been touched by the income tax--they're mainly unrealized capital gains, and
Whereas, without the estate tax, those gains would remain untaxed forever--because the income tax forgives those deferred taxes at death, and
Whereas, if one believes that giving a single mother $10,000 a year in welfare stifles her incentive to work, how much worse it must be for someone who gets a windfall of 100 or 1,000 times that much, and
Whereas, a 1998 paper by Treasury's Office of Tax Analysis surveyed the economic literature and found that "There is overwhelming evidence that estate taxes stimulate charitable bequests, “ and
Whereas, the family farmer is the poster child of the anti-estate-tax movement, but the truth is that less than one in 20 farmers leaves a taxable estate.
Therefore, be it resolved that, MFU supports the estate tax, because, compared to other ways of paying for government, this tax raises a good deal of money without bothering almost 99 percent of us, encourages charitable giving, helps build character, promotes America's core economic and democratic values and is good for rural communities and family farmers.

RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD
Be it resolved that MFU supports legislation that would mandate 10% of all energy used must come from renewable sources by 2010.

REVISION OF MEDICARE PART B FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE
Whereas, the current changes to Medicare Part B effectively gives insurance companies control over the program, and
Whereas, the so called, “donut hole” must be removed from the program, and
Whereas, the current program has become too complex, and
Whereas, all prescription drugs must be covered by the program,
Therefore, be it resolved that MFU calls upon the U.S. Senate to conduct a complete overhaul of the program to reform Medicare Part B and correct these program flaws.

U.S. BORDER SAFEGUARDS TO DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK HEALTH AND SAFETY
Whereas, current policy allowing deboned beef from the nation of Japan-from any aged animal-into the United States, is inconsistent with the policy of allowing only beef from animals under 30 months of age to enter from the nation of Canada, and
Whereas, Japan has identified 22 cases of Bovine Spongiform Ecephalopathy and Canada has identified 6 cases of BSE, and
Whereas, it is imperative that the USDA maintain the health and integrity of the US livestock industry by promoting policy that protects US borders from penetration of contagious disease, and
Whereas, that policy is best implemented by advocating for US livestock producers and not the international marketplace, and
Whereas, it is the responsibility of the USDA to prevent the introduction of foreign diseases across our borders, not the promotion of international trade,
Therefore, be it hereby resolved, that the Missouri Farmer’s Union, requests that the USDA issue directives that protect the integrity of the US livestock industry and the sovereignty of the United States border.

1031 EXCHANGE
Whereas the 1031 Exchange allows Deferred Exchanges. Section 1.1031 of the Internal Revenue Code details the procedure for turning a sale and purchase type transaction into an exchange, and
Whereas, these new rules allowed owners of certain types of like kind Real and Personal property to sell their property and buy other like kind property without paying the Capital Gains Tax, and
Whereas, the like kind provision for Real property is quite broad, and includes Land, Rental, and Business property. Any of which, can be exchanged for the other, and
Whereas, the rural and family farm community is seeing a vast increase in the purchase of farm land through 1031 Exchanges, and
Whereas, these types of transactions have allowed farmland to be purchased by absentee landlords at higher than normal farmland values, thus causing inflated farmland prices, and
Whereas, 1031 Exchanges are making it ever more difficult for family farmers to purchase land, as well as enticing retiring farmers to sell their farmland at inflated prices to absentee landlord, effectively preventing the sale or cash rent of the land to local farmers,
Therefore, be it resolved that MFU opposes 1031 Exchanges as currently enacted, and seeks to have the tax code reformed so that 1031 Exchanges are eliminated or restructured in such a way that they do not work against the interests of family farmers, rural communities and the common good.

The 2007 MFU Policy was adopted by the membership at the MFU Annual Convention January 26-27, 2007.