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VOL. 31, No. 6 February 2014 Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Meeting Feb. 27-28 in Cheyenne By Kerin Clark dress the members during the noon Legislative issues, health insur- luncheon. Schedule pending, Sena- ance, telecommunications, Wyo- tor Eli Bebout will then provide an ming water strategy and estate plan- overview of interim activities and ning are a few of the topics that will recommendations of the Select Fed- be presented at the 2014 Wyoming eral Natural Resource Management Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Committee. Meeting. At 1:30 p.m. Keith Kennedy with The meeting will be Feb. 27-28 at Custom Ag Solutions will present Grassroots action at the national level the Holiday Inn in Cheyenne. Held “Protecting Your Profi ts – Strat- The 95th Annual Convention of the American Farm Bureau Fed- annually to coincide with the legis- egies for Navigating Turbulent eration was held January 12-14, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. lative session, the meeting provides Markets.” Farm Bureau members from across the nation gathered for the Farm Bureau members the oppor- Thursday’s afternoon activities convention. Following the convention, the business session was tunity to meet with their legislators also include legislative briefi ngs held and voting delegates discussed policy recommendations one-on-one and receive updates on from WyFB lobbyists and member- that began at the county level and worked their way through the current issues. ship awards. process to the national level. WyFB President Perry Livingston The meeting begins at 11 a.m. Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. pro- (left) and WyFB Vice President Todd Fornstrom (right) represent- Thursday, Feb. 27 with registration. vides the one-on-one visits with the If their schedules permit, House legislators during a joint “Legislative ed Wyoming as voting delegates. They are shown in this photo Agriculture Committee Chair Reception” sponsored by the Wyo- conducting an interview with Haylie Shipp (center) on the North- Representative Mark Semlek and ming Farm Bureau Federation and the ern Ag Network radio. Kerin Clark photo. Senate Agriculture Committee Wyoming Rural Electric Association. Chair Senator Gerry Geis will ad- See ‘Legislative Meeting’ page 5 Farm Bureau Delegates Set Public WyFB Legislative Meeting Policy Positions for 2014 February 27-28, 2014 SAN ANTONIO, January On the farm labor front, delegates Holiday Inn in Cheyenne 14, 2014–Voting delegates to the reaffi rmed their strong support for See Page 8 for agenda. American Farm Bureau Federa- meaningful ag labor reforms that tion’s 95th annual meeting ap- ensure farmers and ranchers have proved resolutions that will provide access to workers when they are the organization with authority needed. Delegates also voted to from its grassroots members to support fl exibility that would al- push Congress toward the goal line low the employment of workers by on unfi nished issues like the farm more than one farmer. bill and ag labor. “Farmers and ranchers need a Citizen legislature the way to go .....................................Page 2 “Securing victories on those is- reliable supply of labor,” Stallman sues is critical to our competitive- said. “That is a simple truth. It’s YF&R Conference review ...............................................Page 4 ness as individual farmers and about availability and fl exibility ranchers, and to our nation’s suc- – neither of which have been hall- GRICULTURE Economic impact of losing cattle production ................ Page 7 cess as a food producer,” said marks of the system our farmers, A AFBF President Bob Stallman, ranchers and growers have operat- label WyFB Legislative Meeting agenda .................................Page 8 who was re-elected to his eighth ed under for many years. We must two-year term as the organization’s have a workable ag labor program.” YOMING president. “Farm Bureau made With congressional farm bill ac- W Process to convert coal bed gas wells to water wells ...Page 14 progress on our priorities this past tion nearing completion, delegates year, more so than most other or- reaffi rmed Farm Bureau’s policy, State and county scholarship opportunities ................ Page 16 ganizations, and this year, our del- overwhelmingly determining that egates have provided us direction now is not the time to make chang- to work with Congress to complete es. this agenda.” See ‘Public Policy Positions Set’ page 13 Page 2 February 2014 Citizen Legislature the way to go By Ken Hamilton, WyFB Executive ers into the future. the legislature sits on two standing ing many of our legislators. Given that Vice President Of course the budget is the main committees. With some of those com- they must be away from their business On February 10th the Wyoming reason for the session; however any mittees holding at least three meetings as much as they have, the body faces Legislature will convene session has a number of during the interim of two days each, the prospect that only those that are re- for a twenty day budget bills introduced which do it doesn’t take long before the twenty tired, have a really good income, have session. There are a num- not have anything to do with days spent in Cheyenne starts to be the a very understanding employer, or have ber of bills already drafted the budget. These bills will less than the interim work. On top of lots of money can serve. Anyone think- which will impact agri- need to obtain a 2/3 majority this we also have seen several select ing about running for the legislature culture. One of the bills vote in order to be consid- committees created to handle every- only has to follow the body around for which may have a signifi - ered. This has not been that thing from tribal relations to water de- a year to fi gure out whether they can af- cant long term effect on high of a hurdle in the past, velopment. ford to participate. Keeping good folks landowners in this state is with many non-budget bills Moving to a full time legislature from running hurts everyone. We cer- House Bill 23, Landown- receiving the necessary 2/3 will have signifi cant consequences. tainly are lucky that the acrimonious er’s duty to a trespasser-2. Ken Hamilton vote to go on to be heard by I think most people believe that situations we see in some of the more This bill in its current the body. legislators should have to return populated states or Washington, D.C. form seeks to provide the Judicial Wyoming is lucky that our body is home and live under the laws they haven’t hit us as much, but sooner or Branch with some direction in cases of still a part time legislature. However, pass. That is perhaps the best way later it will come and when it does, we trespass. It would limit the liability a one only has to look at the number to ensure that bad laws get quickly will add one more reason for good peo- judge can assess to a landowner in the of interim committee meetings each overturned. Citizens certainly have ple to avoid serving in the legislature. event of a trespasser who comes on his standing committee holds between a better chance to change a law if it Let’s hope we can avoid some of or her property. This bill, sponsored by sessions before you have to wonder is biting a legislator at the same time these problems and better yet make it the Joint Judiciary Committee, would how much longer that will be the case. they are getting bitten. easier for people to serve so we don’t provide some protection for landown- Tradition holds that each member of This leads to the dilemma that is fac- end up having to pay people to serve. Food Police Not Far Off By Stewart Truelsen didn’t work. The Supreme Court of obesity: genetic predisposition, lack tions. The rules would ripple up and Picture yourself in the future, the not New York blocked his efforts, calling of self-control, lack of access to fresh down the food chain. For farmers and too distant future, on a bright summer the limits on soft drinks “arbitrary and fruits and vegetables, a sedentary life- ranchers, there would be rules affect- day. You are grilling hot dogs at a pic- capricious.” style and the need for better education ing the crops they grow and the meat nic with your family in a park. You pay The mayor vowed to appeal the about diet and nutrition. To her, these and milk they market. little attention to the drone fl ying over- ruling. He did, and he lost again. Had are myths or misunderstandings. Writ- The food police we all had to deal head. It’s probably a UPS or FedEx the rules taken effect, they would have ing in the Washington Post, she said, with growing up were mom and dad. drone making a package delivery. But limited the size of sugary drinks to 16 “Education can help, but what is really We don’t need to turn more parenting it’s not. It’s the food police and they oz. at restaurants, theaters and food needed is regulation.” over to government. There are many are monitoring the items you brought carts. What’s interesting to note is what Something like this was already ways of attacking obesity without try- to the picnic. The hot dogs, buns, po- the fi rst court said about the sugar rule. tried with alcoholic beverages from ing to outlaw it in some fashion. Farm- tato chips and soda pop exceed your Justice Milton A. Tingling wrote 1920 to 1933. It was called Prohibition ers and ranchers are entirely support- family’s maximum caloric allowance that the Bloomberg administration had and it was a massive failure.

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