The Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Policy Development Committee will finalize its work on changes to GFB policy for 2017 during a Dec. 4 meeting at the GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. GFB policy outlines the organization's stance on issues important to agriculture. GFB voting delegate will discuss the proposed policy and vote on the final version during the morning business session at the convention on Dec. 6.
The committee met at the GFB headquarters in Macon on Oct. 3 and again on Nov. 7 to review the organization's current position on
ag issues and to consider the 275 resolutions submitted by county Farm Bureaus in September.
"This process started in August when our commodity committees met and reviewed our policy," GFB President Gerald Long said.
"Policy Development is how we determine the organization's legislative direction. It is an example of pure democracy in action, and no other organization allows more open discourse than we do in Farm Bureau."
The GFB Policy Development Committee consists of 30 county presidents (three from each district), the chairmen of each of the 20 GFB Commodity Advisory Committees and the GFB Board of Directors. Also, included in this year's PD Committee were the eight Georgia members serving on American Farm Bureau Issue Advisory Committees.
The resolutions submitted by county Farm Bureaus cover a wide range of topics including issues related to livestock, environmental regulations, tax compliance, wildlife, and national farm programs. There were more policy recommendations about taxes than any other topic. Additional concerns were raised regarding the threat of screwworm flies, which have been detected in deer in the Florida Keys and pose a serious threat to livestock if they spread, and maintaining access to aerial application of chemicals.
Also of concern on the federal level, resolutions were received regarding the 2018 farm bill. Lower commodity prices and a struggling farm economy have sparked much discussion about the design of upcoming legislation. The committee urged Congress to revisit various farm bill commodity programs and provide growers with a stronger safety net.
On the state level, preservation of the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) program is a major concern. GATE gives qualified producers a sales tax exemption on commonly purchased inputs such as seed, feed, fertilizer and chemicals. Numerous submitted resolutions supported the Conversation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) program, which reduces property taxes for farmers who pledge not to develop their qualifying lands.
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