A total of nine policy submissions from Georgia Farm Bureau were approved during the final policy deliberations of the American Farm Bureau Federation voting delegates at the 2015 AFBF Convention in San Diego.
The GFB submissions that were approved covered a variety of topics ranging from restraints on federal regulatory authority to support of U.S. coal-fired energy. AFBF policy establishes the organization's stance on issues important to agriculture.
"The approval of our policy submissions shows that many issues that we view as critical in Georgia are important in many other states," said GFB President Zippy Duvall. "That common ground adds strength to our voice in Washington on ag issues of national importance."
On regulatory review and reform, AFBF delegates approved Georgia language to support budget cuts and sanctions against government agencies that expand their authority against the will of Congress and U.S. citizens, as well as language that would bar employees of government agencies from making unsolicited comments on proposed changes during public comment periods.
AFBF supports using the national seasonal average price to calculate Price Loss Coverage (PLC) for peanuts under the 2014 farm bill, rather than the current national seasonal weighted average price. AFBF also approved policy supporting a price for forfeited peanuts being set at a level to move freely in the world market.
Other GFB policies approved included support for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) remaining under the USDA and acting as a non-regulatory mediator on behalf of producers in environmental compliance disputes with regulatory agencies.
AFBF adopted GFB's suggested support of the National Beef Checkoff and opposition of any new agency-mandated beef checkoff without prior producer referendum.
AFBF also accepted GFB's suggested language calling for quarterly reviews of bonding requirements for livestock dealers and packers under the Grain Inspectors, Packers and Stockyards Act.
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