Ag Policy Group Cautions Policymakers
Juniata County Bus Tour
WASHINGTON, D.C.
America’s efficient production of
food and fiber can be seriously
jeopardized by emerging environ
mental and food safety regula
tions, according to a new report
commissioned by the Washington,
D.C.-based Agricultural Policy
Working Group.
Speaking on behalf of the coali
tion of food and agribusiness
firms, author and economist Dr.
Bruce L. Gardner said that,
despite U.S. agriculture’s efforts
to consistently meet consumers’
demands for wholesome and eco
nomical food, that ability may be
threatened by unreasonable envir
onmental and food safety goals.
“Policymakers and the public
need to understand the strengths
and vulnerabilities of the U.S.
agricultural economy before they
consider changes in regulatory
policy,” he cautioned.
The Agricultural Policy Work
ing Group released an extensive
study by Dr. Gardner and col
leagues that explores a series of
regulatory options and their con
sequences to food and fiber pro
duction. Included are regulations
aimed at species and habitat pro
tection, land use, water quality,
chemical use, food safety, con
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“Legislative and regulatory
actions on environmental issues
have such substantial potential
costs to U.S. agriculture, farmers,,
agribusiness, and rurataemmuni
ties that such actions should be
carefully structured to minimize
effects on farm costs, while ensur
ing the desired environmental
benefits,” Dr. Gardner said.
“Moreover, the cumulative impact
of these regulations makes it
equally important that they not be
carried out in a piecemeal
fashion.”
Consequences of restrictive
environmental - regulations,
according to the APWG study,
could include: 1) higher consumer
food costs of up to $250 per
household, with heaviest burden
falling on lower income families;
2) net firm income losses of up to
several billion dollars; 3) falling
farm asset values that could force
many farmers out of business; 4)
job losses in environmentally sen
sitive rural areas; and S) declines
in U.S. exports of up to $lO billion
annually, opening opportunities
for U.S. competitors to expand
their food and fiber production.
With die study in hand, the
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Agricultural Policy Working
Group today called on Secretary
of Agriculture Mike Espy to con
duct an agricultural impact state
ment on the effect of major envir
onmental bills on the agricultural
economy, prior to their considera
tion by Congress.
These agricultural impact anal
yses should be sent to the chair
men and ranking minority mem
bers of the House and Senate agri
culture committees to ensure that'
producers, agribusiness and con
sumers are fully aware of the eco
nomic impacts of each major
environmental bill pending before
Congress, members of APWG
emphasized.
They noted that each analysis
should include economic impacts
of the legislation on costs of pro
duction, farm income, exports,
food prices, rural employment,
and asset values, plus estimates of
cumulative effects.
APWG members emphasized
that House and Senate members
need to be fully informed of the
economic impacts on agriculture.
Copes of the full APWG report,
entitled "The Impacts of Environ
mental Protection and Food Safety
Regulations on U.S. Agriculture,”
are available from: APWG, c/o
Lesher & Russell, Inc., 1919 S.
Eads Street Suite 103, Arlington,
Virginia 22202. Telephone:
703/979-6900.
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MIFFLINTOWN (Juniata to Nathan Burkholder farm at Mcr-
Co.) —The Juniata County Con- ccrsburg. Return back to the center
servation Service field day bus is planned for 3:30 p.m.
tour to Franklin County will leave For bus reservations call the
the Ag Service Center at 8:30 a.m. Conservation office by Nov. 1.
First stop is the Clifford Hawbaker Phone: (717) 436-6919.
farm at Chambersbuig and then on
Pa. State Grange Adopts
(Continued from Pefle A 1)
43; Crawford No. 26; and Perry
No. 69.
Douglas Bonsall, community
service coordinator for the State
Grange, said the awards recognize
those Granges who have made a
significant contribution to their
communities.
“The community service awards
demonstrate that these Grange
members care about their home
towns and are trying to make a dif
ference in the world they live,”
Bosnall said. ‘The community ser
vice award is a tribute to their dedi
cation, perserverance and hard
work during the past year.”
Community service award win
ners are judged based on a note
book they keep during the contest
year. Included in the notebooks are
to be written articles about their
projects, photographs, and media
coverage.
Also honored at the banquet was
Dr. Joseph Fotos, a retired superin
tendent of the Clarion Area School
District.. who received the
Grange’s Community Citizen
Award, for being instrumental in
arranging this year’s convention to
be held at the Clarion University.
'ln other business. Gordon Hill
er, master of the Pennsylvania
State Grange, opened the coven
tion by reviewing the past year’s
accomplishments while offering a
vision toward the future.
“One of the first steps when I
took office was to implement our
Grange initiative for the 1993 and
Beyond campaign,” Hiller said.
“The program has been well
received across the state and we
«►» k i
3 :1
Uncaeter Arming, Saturday, October 30, t9&A3i'
look for the Grange to continue to
grow as we approach the year
2000.”
More timely, Hiller said that
there were several legislative
accomplishments made during the
past year. He cited the creation of
the Nutrient Management Act;
sales tax exemptions for manure
storage facilities; reform of work
ers’ compensation: tax relief for
conservation casements; and sec
uring funding for (he University of
Pennsylvania Veterinarian School.
“In the coming year, the Grange
is expected to chair the revamped
Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Resources Ag
Advisory Baord, a very influential
body advising DER on agricultural
policy, regulations and enforce
ment Current laws and new legis
lation will be monitored according
to Grange policy,” he said.
According to Hiller, the past
accomplishments of the Grange
coupled with a vision will guide
the organization.
“Many opportunities for Grange
involvement arc presenting them
selves across the state,” Hiller said.
“Research and legislation is bre
wing that will affect our lives and
livelihoods. Health care, for
humans and animals, water regula
tions, labor requirements, rural
development transportation, edu
cation, taxation and a whole host
of pertinent issues arc" on tomor
row’s horizon.”
In addition, more than 130
resolutions were discussed during
the comention, including issues
such as the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA), con
servation of Agricultural Security
Areas, organ donor legislation,
emission inspections, and federal
estate tax.
The policies of the Grange begin
in the form of resolutions made at
the local level, which are then con
sidered at the county level, the
state level, and ultimately at the
federal level.
Neither the results of the dele
gates’ voting on policy, nor any of
the election results were available
by presstime.