A26-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 25,1986
ATLANTA, GA - Dean
Kleckner, the president of the lowa
Farm Bureau Federation was
elected today as the 10th president
of the American Farm Bureau
Federation. Sputh Carolina Farm
Bureau President Harry Bell was
selected as the federation’s vice
president.
Kleckner, 53, raises hogs, corn
and soybeans on 550 acres in Rudd,
lowa. He was elected to head the
lowa Farm Bureau in 1975, and has
served on the AFBF board since
1976. He succeeds Robert Delano,
who served six years as head of the
national federation. Bell, who
succeeds Michigan Farm Bureau
Federation President Elton Smith,
farms 1,450 acres in Ward, S.C.,
raising cotton, soybeans, grains,
cattle and timber.
At a news conferene, Kleckner
was asked several times about
current conditions in agriculture.
“I’m sensitive to the fact that
agriculture in general is in a
depressed state,” he said, adding
that he hopes the worst is over but
doesn’t see a quick turnaround.
“Everything we are going to do
is going to be slanted toward im
proving net farm income,” said
Kleckner. He said one answer is
more exports and he indicated that
Farm Bureau will continue to look
at other ideas to achieve a tur
naround in the industry.
Another priority, Kleckner said,
will be in the credit area, and he
said he expects additional
measures to be considered in
Congress to help farmers and their
lenders.
Kleckner stressed that he favors
a market-based, rather than
government-directed, system of
agriculture, and he said it would be
dangerous to conclude that
American farmers cannot be
competitive in world markets.
“We have simply got to a better
job in the export market,” he said.
With the convention coming
shortly after enactment of the 1965
farm bill, the 280 voting delegates
turned their attention to other
national issues.
Most prominent among the more
than 200 considered was tax
reform legislation, which is one
half the way through Congress and
will be considered this year in the
Senate.
The delegates endorsed a tax
reform package that would repeal
the investment tax credit, saying
the credit and other tax breaks
hurt agriculture because they
encourage overproduction of many
commodities and pull down prices.
In addition, the tax reform
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package ratified by the delegates
would treat proceeds from
livestock sales as ordinary income
instead of as capital gains. The tax
reform proposals were similar to
those contained in an AFBF tax
reform study.
On the issue of possible tax in
crease to slice the federal deficit,
the delegates reaffirmed their
long-held stance against new or
additional levies.
Also debated was the problem of
grain quality, which foreign
buyers have complained about in
recent years. The delegates urged
that grain grade standards be
improved to “give assurance that
we will provide clean...grains for
our customers at home and
abroad.”
Addressing an issue in last
year’s farm bill debate, the
delegates changed the federation’s
position on commodity promotion
programs. They said that such
programs should feature an initial
referendum. In instances where
mandatory participation is
required the delegates said a
referendum should be held at least
every five years to reaffirm
checkoff programs. Previous
policy said that producers should
be given the option of obtaining
refunds if they did not want to
participate.
The delegates rejected two
proposals of note. They voted
against a proposal calling for a
national tax on sales of food with
the revenues earmarked for
helping troubled farmers.
Also, the delegates turned down
a proposal to establish a national
political action committee for the
American Farm Bureau
Federation.
Five new members were elected
to the federation’s board of
Lancaster, PA
397-3721
Lewistown, PA
248-Q983
State College, PA
directors: keith Eckel, president
of the Pennsylvania Farmer’s Re-elected to the AFBF board
Association, and John Tarburton, were C.R. Johnston, Missouri;
president of the Delaware Farm John White Jr., Illinois; and Doyle
Bureau, both representing the Rahjes, Kansas, representing the
Northeast region; Cecil Miller, Midwest; James Graugnard,
president of the Arizona Farm Louisiana; Nicky Hargrove
Bureau, representing the Western Arkansas; James Lockett,
region; Carl Loop, president of the Oklahoma; S.T. Moore, Virginia;
Florida Farm Bureau Federation, and S.M. True, Texas, represen
representing the Southern region; ' ting the South. All those elected to
and Merlyn Lokensgard, president the board will serve two-year
of the Minnesota Furn* D " r P”*
CAMP HILL - Voting Delegates
at the 67th annual meeting of the
American Farm Bureau
Federation have elected Keith W.
Eckel of Clarks Summit,
Lackawanna County, to the Board
of Directors of the nation’s largest
general farm organization.
American Farm Bureau
represents over 3.3 million far
mers and ranchers throughout the
United States. American Farm
Bureau delegates met in Atlanta,
GA, Jan. 12 -16, to elect leaders
and adopt policies on national farm
issues.
Eckel, is a full-time farmer and
president of the Pennsylvania
Farmers’ Association (PFA)
which is affiliated with American
Farm Bureau. Eckel operates a
dairy and vegetable farm in
partnership with his father, Fred,
and his brother, Doug. The Eckels
have a registered Holstein dairy
herd of 165 cows. They also grow
and pack 300 acres of mature green
tomatoes.
The entire farm operation
consists of more than 1,000 acres
and also includes 500 acres of field
com, 125 acres of alfalfa, 25 acres
of sweet com, and 150 acres of
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representing the Midwest.
Eckel elected to AFBF board
wheat which is rotated with Commenting on his election,
tomatoes. The Eckels have Eckel said, “American Farm
received the Pennsylvania Master Bureau is the most powerful and
Farmer Award presented by the influential farm organization in the
Pennsylvania State University. country. The election of a farmer
Eckel has been president of PFA from Pennsylvania gives our state
since 1981. He heads a state-wide, and the entire northeast
voluntary farm organization which agricultural community a strong
represents 23,300 farm families in voice in carrying out the wishes of
54 county associations. our members on a national scale.”
KAUFFMAN STATION - The
Franklin County Holstein Club
held their annual meeting and
awards banquet on January 21,1986
at the Kauffman Community
Center.
State youth winners for milk and
fat production were: two year old -
Scott Cordell, Chambersburg;
three year old - Steve Ecksteine,
Mercersburg; four year old -
Rodney Meyers, Chambersburg;
five year old - Mike Cordell,
Chambersburg.
Placques were presented to the
high registered cows in milk and
fat production. Winning the award
for milk production was Ray and
of Lewisburg, PA
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terms except for True and
Lokensgard, who will serve one
year.
Representing the AFBF Young
Farmer and Rancher advisory
committee on the board is Mark
Darrington, of Delco, Idaho.
Elected to the AFB Women’s
Committee were Marilyn Camp
bell, of New Hampshire; Maxine
Bell, Idaho; Ailene Miller, Illinois;
Carolyn Hegel, Indiana; and Ella
Mae Carroll, Arkansas.
Stewart Hollenshead, Mer
cersburg, for the record of 31,132 M
in 305 days. The winner for fat
production was Mark Meyers,
Greencastle, with a record of 1225
Fin 305 days.
Receiving the All Pennsylvania
Award were the following herd
owners: Alvin Meyers, Cham
bersburg; James Nina Burdette,
Mercersburg; and C. Richard and
Georgianna Locke, Mercersburg.
Directors named to three year
terms are: Brad Beidel, Newburg;
Roy Cordell, Chambersburg; J.
Robert Meyers Jr., St. Thomas;
and Jaye Young, Greencastle.
RES:
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