Proposed Policy

Local Resolutions

County and Local Assessing

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports our local assessors doing the assessing in their township, villages, and cities and reporting to the county equalization director, and then to the state. It is a good system of checks and balances and we retain local control. We also support Local tax collection and voting. Adopted

MAEAP

Sanilac County Farm Bureau encourages local promotion of the MAEAP program. We encourage local cooperation and education of Farm Bureau, County Commissioners, Health Department, County and Township Planning Commissions, Soil Conservation Districts, MSUE, County Drain Commissioners and additional local elected officials. Adopted

Community Involvement

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the agriculture industry being involved in the local communities by volunteering on zoning boards, township boards, Economic Development Boards, County commissioners, Road Boards, and all boards where agriculture needs a voice in the decisions being made that affect agriculture. With production costs rising in the double digits we need to have agriculture producers at the table to help formulate policy that affects production agriculture. Adopted

Community Involvement

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the agriculture industry being involved in the local communities by volunteering on zoning boards, township boards, Economic Development Boards, County commissioners, Road Boards, and all boards where agriculture needs a voice in the decisions being made that affect agriculture. With production costs rising in the double digits we need to have agriculture producers at the table to help formulate policy that affects production agriculture. Adopted

Property Assessment

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports Proposal A and feels it is good for agriculture. With the implementation of PA260, the taxable value doesn't pop up at the time of transfer to anyone in agriculture, if you file and register the form with the Register of Deeds and agree to keep the land in agriculture. Adopted

Trees Planted with Enough Setback

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports road commission and property owners that all trees be planted with enough set back to be off property lines and road right away when the trees are full grown. Adopted

Wildcat Road Changed to a Class A Road

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the order to make Wildcat Road into a Class A road to eliminate a lot of shore traffic and give big trucks a better route to the middle of the county. Adopted

Black Top Roads

Sanilac County Farm Bureau would like to direct the Sanilac County Road Commission when all Blacktop roads are built or rebuilt that the road meet Class A standards. Adopted

Maintenance of Local Ditches

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the increase of the maintenance of county drains and local ditches from $2,500.00 to $5,000.00 per mile before either of the petitions and engineering process takes over. Adopted

County Jail Project

Sanilac County Farm Bureau continues the position of 2003.  If the jail project needs county budget backing Farm Bureau is against the project.  If the jail project can prove that it needs no county budget backing and can make enough money to meet all costs and principal payments including the debt of the 1996 jail project, Sanilac County Farm Bureau asks that any proposal that incurs any indebtness be put to a vote of the people. Adopted

State Resolutions

Nuclear

Sanilac County supports the use of Nuclear Power and insists that construction of a nuclear power plant be started immediately in our state. Adopted

Wind Energy

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports county or statewide site plans to help develop the wind farms and Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the use of Wind for generating electricity. Adopted

Wild Game: Geese, Turkeys, Sand Hill Cranes, and Deer

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the DNR on the following; the DNR is in control of all hunting seasons according to the DNR office in Cass City. The DNR are also the ones to call if crop damages occur. The DNR can give special harvest permits if damages have occurred on your farm. Early hunting season has been established for Sanilac County for Geese from Sept 1st to Sept 15th. Three birds a day per hunter, according to the officer the DNR will work with the farmers. Adopted

Sales Tax

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports that sales taxes should only be charged on the final negotiated price of the item. Adopted

Example:

Truck Purchase:

MSRP - $40,000.00

GM Discount: -$500.00

Trade In: -$4,500.00

Should be:

Final Price: $35,000.00

Sales Tax 6% (on $35,000.00):  $2,100.00

Actually:

Final Price: $35,000.00

Sales Tax 6% (on $40,000.00): $2,400.00

Difference of: $300.00

Term Limits

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports term limits but feel that two-year terms are too short and that with two-year terms the legislators are campaigning constantly and that four-year terms are more effective. 

We support up to 4 four-year terms for State Representative and up to 4 four-year terms for State Senators.

We also support a part-time legislature and legislators should not receive full benefits and retirement unless they are vested with 20 years of service. The benefits and retirement should be pro-rated as the years served.

The Sanilac County Farm Bureau urges Michigan Farm Bureau to circulate a petition in Michigan to achieve the new term limits and retirement benefits. Adopted

Ethanol

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the mandatory use of 10% Ethanol in all state gasoline, and incentives to put in E-85 pumps at various locations in the state. We also encourage the mandatory use of Bio-Diesel to help clean up the air, and also support Ag is 2nd largest industry in the state. Adopted

Johne's Disease

Sanilac County Farm Bureau is concerned about the significant animal health problems and economic impact on dairy farms from Johne's disease.

SCFB urges continued annual appropriations for the Johne's disease control program of at least $20 million per year to help operate the Johne's disease control program as authorized in the 2002 Farm bill. Furthermore, we encourage MSU Animal Science Department, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, departments of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and the Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, MSU Extension and Michigan Department of Agriculture to work cooperatively to develop control and prevention guidelines to assist producers in managing Johne's disease. We urge these groups to make available educational programs and accurate, economical diagnostic testing necessary for an effective Johne's disease certification program.

We further urge that all certified labs would qualify for producers cost sharing. In addition, we oppose the classification of Johne's disease as a reportable disease.

In addition, we urge that all imported cattle must be tested negative for Johne's. Adopted

Nonambulatory Animals

If an animal has been injured, such as a slip or fall injury that may cause a broken leg, pinched nerve, etc. leaving the animal unable to walk on its own, "This doesn't mean the animal is unfit to enter the food supply". The animal should go through the same testing as any other animal going through the slaughterhouse. The injured animal does not pose a health risk to consumers. The current policy needs to be reconsidered. Adopted

Sales Tax on Fuel

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the elimination of sales tax on fuel and replaced with a flat rate tax of .10 per gal. Adopted

Michigan Cranberry Industry

Sanilac County Farm Bureau would like to direct the DEQ, DNR, Department of Agriculture and the Michigan Legislature to develop "Positive policies and legislation" to help "promote and grow" this emerging Cranberry Industry in the State of Michigan. In a time when the State is seeking diversity of Industries and job growth, many of past policies of the DEQ and DNR have been overly restrictive compared to surrounding states and has seriously retarded the growth of the Cranberry Industry in this State. Let it be resolved Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports this Cranberry industry and believes it should at least have the same chance if not better to develop here in Michigan. Adopted

Responsibility Act

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports legislation that the driver assumes all responsibility of liability for him and his passengers therefore, exempting property owners, township, county, state and all public entities in regard to vehicle operations to make people responsible and eliminate lawsuits.

Adopted

National Resolutions

Ethanol & Alternative Fuels

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the mandatory use of 10% Ethanol in all gasoline and directs the Federal government to promote E-85 and supports use of Bio-Diesel - diesel fuel as a means to help the environment stabilize the price of fuel and also lower the cost of the farm program. Adopted

Farm Bill

The new Farm Bill should:

1. Have a safety net equal to the 2002 Bill

2. Have a Sugar program at no cost to the taxpayer

3. Not to include vegetables as a program crop

4. Include all drainage districts in CSP

5. Make conservation payments equal to and replace LDP

Adopted

National Animal Identification System

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the National Animal Identification System (NAIS); a national program intended to identify agricultural animals. The program will enhance disease preparedness by allowing the US to identify any animals exposed to disease and will facilitate stopping the spread of that disease. Having a working system that allows for trace backs to all premises that had direct contact with an animal with a threatening disease within 48 hours of discovery will help reduce the financial and social impacts of such a disease.

We urge that a national NAIS database system be maintained under the control of USDA to expedite trace back of animals. The system should protect farmers' privacy, while also allowing for immediate access of relevant information by government authorities in the event of an animal disease crisis. We therefore urge that the information in the NAIS database be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

Furthermore, we support the formation of IDairy, made up of six national dairy related organizations. Bringing the dairy industry together and moving forward with national animal identification by providing information on how to register agricultural premises the appropriate state authorities and how to obtain tags for individual cattle. IDairy's (continued on next page)

efforts to bring together information from breed and state agencies will create the framework and help to expedite implementation of NAIS when the government is ready to move forward.

We further believe there should be no charge to the producer for implementing the national animal identification program and urge Congress to provide adequate funding to rapidly implement the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). Adopted

Sugar Industry

Sanilac County Farm Bureau favors the idea that all negotiations on sugar be handled by WTO in the Doha Trades talks. If these negotiations fail than we support an extension of the present farm program. In unilateral trade talks we urge the US trade Representative to use sugar as a "sensitive commodity" in negotiations to maintain a viable sugar industry in the US. Adopted

Sugar Industry

Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports the Sugar Industry in the United States and Michigan because it generates 372,000 jobs and over 21 billion to the economy. Sanilac County Farm Bureau supports that all negotiations for sugar be moved to the WTO where each countries subsides are looked at and the American Farmer will not be put at a disadvantage. Adopted

Conservation Security Program

Whereas the Conservation Security Program was designed to reward farmers for practicing good environmental stewardship during the past number of years and continuing those practices into the future.

And whereas there is currently pressure being brought upon the United States to move away from commodity related programs for farmers and therefore it is likely that we will see an increase in environmental stewardship programs.

And whereas the current CRP program stipulates that the producer have control of the land for at least the next 5 crop years and there is some confusion over the eligibility of rented cropland.

And whereas in many areas cash rents are common and many contracts are renewed annually.

Therefore be it resolved that American Farm Bureau work to encourage changes in this and future programs to include those farmers who are practicing good environmental stewardship on the lands that they cash rent.  Eligibility for the programs could be shown by the producer proving compliance with the requirements at the beginning of enrollment and annually showing proof of cash rent contracts. Adopted

National Promotion and Education

Sanilac County Farm Bureau would support a National Promotion and Education Committee and that it is nationally staffed and nationally recognized.  Promoting and Educating the non-agricultural sector about agriculture is a very important part of Farm Bureau. Adopted