Page 78 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

AFBF Policies – Page 22
6.2. Legislation indemnifying farmers and farm owners for the cost of cleanup and other damages arising from the pollution of their land by the willful or negligent acts of others;
6.3. Re-evaluation of the indemnities for foreign animal diseases;
6.4. In the event of an outbreak of a major animal disease appropriating
the necessary funds to farmers for indemnification of lost animals and income until the affected farms are approved to resume operations;
6.5. Including integrators, contract growers and producers in all federal indemnity payment programs pertaining to the livestock and poultry industries. When a company receives an indemnity payment, a pro- rata share should go to the grower;
6.6. Federal and state efforts to control tracheal and Varroa mites and to provide suitable indemnity if bee colonies are destroyed in the process; and
6.7. The need to post a bond in a reasonable amount by environmental organizations that sue state or federal agencies to protect workers and the company owners from loss of income due to work stoppages. In the event that the suit is unsuccessful, the bond should be forfeited to the company in order to defray their losses. 
#462 Role of USDA (amendment at line 10.15)
1. Agriculture should remain the primary responsibility of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Food and fiber consumers will be better served by healthy, profitable production agriculture than by consumer advocacy within USDA.
2. USDA should be an advocate for agriculture with emphasis on production agriculture and the processing and marketing of agricultural products and promoting the use of domestically produced food and fiber by all branches of the U.S. government and military services.
3. Leadership at USDA should be vested in appointed people who are competent, have background and experience in agriculture and have evidenced a knowledge and concern for the welfare of agricultural producers.
4. The Undersecretary of Natural Resources and the Environment should be an effective advocate for agriculture on environmental issues.
5. We support the secretary of agriculture and the U.S. trade representative being included in the National Security Council.
6. We support long-term funding of the USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA).
7. Review criteria for USDA office closure decisions should include miles driven between offices, workload, local input, and inter-agency efficiency.
8. USDA should be:
8.1. A monitor of domestic and foreign agricultural affairs;
8.2. An accurate source of agricultural data and research; and
8.3. An agricultural policy adviser to other departments of the federal
government;
9. We support USDA programs that:
9.1. Help farmers obtain needed crop and market information, research, educational assistance and credit;
9.2. Provide workable grades and standards and safeguard product quality through inspection services;
9.3. Help farmers eradicate or control plant and animal pests and diseases;
9.4. Encourage conservation of land and water resources by maintaining land in private ownership. USDA programs should not be used to facilitate the transfer of private farms and ranches to public lands;
9.5. Assure reliable, unfettered transportation for agricultural commodities;
9.6. Strengthen farmers' power to bargain for a price; and
9.7. Provide comparable services to administer all commodity
programs.
10. USDA should:
10.1. ContinuetobeafullCabinet-leveldepartmentandshallnotbe renamed or consolidated with any other department or agency of government;