On Governor Perdue's desk today...

The 3-year old gas tax cap has been replaced with a tax floor. Gas taxes should have been reduced by 2 cents per gallon on July 1. Current law would have lowered the gas tax to 27.9 cents per gallon. When Governor Perdue signs the bill (and she is likely to sign it into law, according to her spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson), the minimum gas tax would be set at 29.9 cents up until the middle of 2011. The tax will rise to the floor next month and rise to 30.4 cents next January. This could generate $67.5 million in the next fiscal year and would be used to build highways and bridges. The gas tax is readjusted twice a year based on the wholesale price of gas.

Dairy Meeting in Statesville

Just returned from the NC Dairy Producers Association meeting which was held just down the road here in Statesville. We were given an update by Matt Lange who is the Dairy Development Coordinator for NC Dairy Advantage. Dairy Advantage is a program which is intended to stabilize and grow the dairy industry in the state. Through this program, there have been contacts with folks from the northeast and western areas of the nation who are interested in relocating their dairy industries in our state. They are also in the process of putting together Farm Transition workshops which will take place in November, December and January. This summer, the Farm Assessment Profit Teams will kick into gear with assisting dairies in increasing profitability. Coming in September, there will be a fully functioning, interactive website and listserv to better reach the masses!

Don't forget that June 19 is the Dairy Appreciation Dinner. If you are a producer and are interested in attending this event, please RSVP by calling 1800-343-4693. The dinner will be held at 6PM at Deerview Jerseys, 300 Lutz Ln, Mocksville. Please bring your lawn chairs with you. They will be serving barbecue & ice cream and Amanda Trice, Integrated Communications Director for Southeast United Dairy Industry will be one of the featured speakers. This event is sponsored by: NC Cooperative Extension, Dairy Advantage, Farm Credit, Hunter Farms, Piedmont Milk Sales and SUDIA.

On Governor Perdue's desk today...

A bill which will outlaw texting while driving. This law will go into effect December 1, 2009.

Annexation Reform: Grassroots v. Astroturf

If any of you have heard me talk about the Grange and our process of adopting and advocating for policy, you've heard me talk about grassroots. Like roots, these types of movements are planted on the local level or in a community. Grange policy is formulated within local Granges, brought forth at State Convention for consideration and moved along to National Convention for consideration there. We are truly a grassroots organization. When we advocate for policy, we not only work from the State Office to support or oppose legislation - we take it back to the communities and local level. We ask for your support in contacting Representatives, Senators, Congressman, etc.

Our organization has been pushing for significant annexation reform by supporting bills like SB 494 which will provide a vote for affected property owners, oversight by County Commissioners and definition of and requirement for meaningful services. We have developed our policy based on a grassroots process and brought it back to our members for grassroots action.

Astroturf is another term that's used to describe political movements. Just like astroturf, these movements are not rooted or grounded locally. They're artificial and manufactured by a higher power structure.

The League of Municipalities is supporting an alternative bill (SB 472/HB 727). It simply tweaks the current annexation law, but is NOT significant reform. It does not address oversight, a voice for affected property owners or meaningful services. They have begun a "Bring 5" campaign which is a movement for city and town leaders to bring citizens to the legislature to support this bill. Sound like astroturf to you?

We cannot allow an astroturf campaign of municipal leaders overshadow how citizens really feel about this issue.

The Senate Finance Subcommittee will deal with all of the annexation bills. They will deal with the good and bad all at once. Please contact them as soon as possible. (List/contact info below) It is more important than ever that you contact your Senator to lend your support to SB 494. For more information on this bill, please refer to this previous post.

Finance Subcommittee
Daniel Clodfelter - Mecklenburg - daniel.clodfelter@ncleg.net
Larry Shaw - Cumberland - larry.shaw@ncleg.net **SPONSOR OF SB494**
Fletcher Hartsell - Cabarrus - fletcher.hartsell@ncleg.net
Richard Stevens - Wake - richard.stevens@ncleg.net
Floyd McKissick - Durham - floyd.mckissick@ncleg.net
Josh Stein - Wake - josh.stein@ncleg.net
Bill Purcell - Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Stanley - william.purcell@ncleg.net

Please contact co-sponsors of SB 494 and thank them for their co-sponsorship and leadership on this issue!
Larry Shaw - Cumberland - larry.shaw@ncleg.net
Phil Berger - Guilford, Rockingham - phil.berger@ncleg.net
Andrew Brock - Davie, Rowan - andrew.brock@ncleg.net
David Rouzer - Johnston, Wayne - david.rouzer@ncleg.net

Just because your Senator is not listed does not mean you shouldn't contact them. Let them know how you feel about involuntary annexation and the provisions found in SB 494.

For analysis of this bill & other annexation bills, please read Cathy Heath of StopNCAnnexation's articles:
What S494/H645 would change
Compare S494/H645 to other bills submitted
Why NC needs S494/H645 to reform the law

FDA Tobacco Regulation

When it comes to the FDA regulating tobacco, North Carolina has 2 advocates in the US Senate - Senator Richard Burr and Senator Kay Hagan. Legislation pending in the US Senate will bring tobacco under the control of the Federal Drug Administration. The legislation will also restrict chemical components in tobacco and cigarette smoke. It will require the agency to review new tobacco products and ban the descriptions of "light" and "low tar" which can suggest that these products are safer than others. Larger health warning signs will show up on cigarette packs and there will be tighter marketing and advertising restrictions. Senator Hagan, in a press release stated:

“FDA is overburdened already, and lacks the capacity or the expertise to take on a large, complicated new industry. Rather than merely oppose FDA regulation, Senator Burr and I have offered an alternative proposal that protects the tobacco industry while also imposing stringent new restrictions that will prevent children from smoking. I will not stand idly by while the FDA is put in charge of such a critical industry to North Carolina.”

North Carolina is the largest tobacco producing state. Senator Hagan has also brought to light the farmers in North Carolina whose livelihood is deeply embedded in the tobacco industry. The Burr-Hagan bill, which would create an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, has not moved along and instead, the "FDA bill" has. This prompted Senator Burr to try to filibuster, or to delay the process or delay the vote. He stated:

"What we're getting ready to do in the Senate is the worst thing we can do."

In order to stop a filibuster, the 2/3 of the Senate must vote for cloture. Just yesterday, the Senate invoked cloture - meaning there will no longer be debate or amendments to the bill. Unfortunately, this bill is likely to pass.

Where does the Grange stand?
The Grange opposes this bill on 2 major principles

• FDA has a significant amount of responsibilities and has not proven to be completely effective in accomplishing its current duties
• Regulation of tobacco by the FDA portrays an inaccurate representation of the safety of tobacco use

The Washington Post reported that independent assessments, as well as the FDA's own Science Board, have found that the FDA is overwhelmed with current responsibilities and is not completely capable of protecting the mass public from unsafe food and drugs. The most recent examples are the contamination of pet foods and heparin from China, contaminated weight loss products and a Salmonella outbreak in peanut butter. Tommy J. Payne, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for Reynolds American, Inc. stated: "The FDA currently spends about $1.68/year per consumer on food safety. This bill, if signed into law, would have them spending $10/year per consumer on regulating tobacco products." Spending an inordinate amount of money on tobacco regulation will divert available funds from medicinal and food safety programs.

Despite blunders and criticism of the FDA, the agency still holds a significant amount of clout when confirming a product's safety. A 2004 CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll showed that 70% of Americans had a great deal or moderate amount of confidence in the FDA to ensure prescription drugs are safe and a 2001 Harris poll found that 67% held favorable views of the FDA. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt made the following statement: "Unlike the medical products FDA regulates, tobacco products cannot be made safe, and there is no medically established public health benefit associated with tobacco." The misrepresentation that the FDA is protecting public health is unsafe and dangerous.

If you are a member of a local Grange, please make every effort to contact Senator Hagan and contact Senator Burr and thank them for their leadership against this effort to bring tobacco under the jurisdiction of the FDA. Their hard work is greatly appreciated!

Short video recap of the issue

Local Foods

Rockingham County Grange, along with Rockingham County Cooperative Extension and others are taking a lead in their community. They are part of an up & coming initiative to create a local food market. Rutherford County has been a great model and offered a presentation and tour of their successes for a group from Rockingham County. Jimmy and I were invited to attend this event (thanks to Rockingham County Grange President Mark Davis!) and it was an awesome experience! We met at Foothills Connect, an organization that "supports the development and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurship in Rutherford County". There, we learned a bit about how their FarmersFreshMarket initiative was organized and the motivations for a program such as this. With this program, local farmers are connected via the web to restaurant owners, chefs and other customers so that local foods can find their way onto our tables. It's a type of "virtual" farmer's market! With grants that were awarded to the center, farmers are also given training on sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship. Tim Will, Executive Director of Foothills Connect, brought his enthusiasm for this program to the group and everyone in the room was outwardly excited to see how their model could shape a program in Rockingham County.

Then, we walked down the street to an area that is being used for growing vegetables. This area is smack-dab in the middle of downtown and it was assumed that the soil wasn't conducive to growing anything. So untrue! They're leaving no open area unused and some folks even ate radishes pulled straight from this soil!

We visited a site near RS-Central High School where an Animal Science class has taken a hands-on approach to learning about agriculture. Their teacher, Brandon Higgins, said that sitting in a classroom learning animal science didn't resonate quite as well as getting outside and working with animals. Students were there for class and we got to see them in action! They were busy watering the hogs, feeding chickens and feeding and milking the goats. They take a sustainable approach to their farm as well... putting goats into the field to clear everything out, then the hogs root up the field and they have a moving chicken house which fertilizes the soil. Many students made an effort to make their passion and love for agriculture known. When asked what their favorite part of this class was their response was "Everything!"


We went to lunch at Cafe at the Mall where the food is brought in from local farmers in an effort to keep the economy growing within Rutherford County. If anyone is taking a trip to Rutherford County, I highly recommend this restaurant! The food was amazing and the staff was so happy to have us there! Jean Pierre Marechal, head chef of the Center City Marriot in Charlotte joined us for lunch and spoke to us about how this program has literally changed his life. What a big statement!

Jean Pierre also joined us for a tour of Always Somethin' Farm, a local farm owned by Richard Davis, that practices sustainable agriculture. They aren't certified organic, but are - by most standards - an organic farm. We learned how his operation works, including his CSA (community supported agriculture) which is a way for consumers to buy a "membership" in return for a bag or basket of seasonal produce each week through the farming season. This early payment allows for the operation to run efficiently. After a tour of the farm, we went back to the Cafe to have desserts and to debrief.

A big thanks goes out to the 5 members of Rockingham County Grange who are leaders in this project, Mark Davis for inviting us to be a part of this learning experience as well as everyone involved with Foothills Connect, Richard Davis, the staff of Cafe at the Mall and all of the farmers who make initiatives like this possible!

Becoming Involved

In 1992, I was only 7 years old and there was a Presidential election. I remember wanting to know who would win and I left a sheet of paper and a marker outside of my bedroom door so that my parents could write the newly elected President's name so I could find out as soon as I woke up the next morning. That's the first time I remember ever being interested in politics. In high school, I got the opportunity to meet (at the time, future) Congressman Robin Hayes. I had no understanding of the significance of meeting a political candidate. I didn't really care about politics until I was 19 and was able to vote in my first Presidential election. Then, I started to realize that the decisions other people were making were going to affect me. And for the first time, what I thought mattered. I couldn't stay awake long enough to see the result that night either... but it sparked something in me.

Now, I can't get enough. I watch the news when I wake up, am immersed in the workings of government while I'm at work, and watch the news before I go to sleep. You don't have to love politics like I do.. you don't even have to like it. But, I will challenge you to care enough to act. Decisions are made every single day and they affect your life, personal freedoms and your ability to make a profit. Those decision makers, whether they're County Commissioners or the President of the United States, must hear from you. How will they make the best decision? How will they see the real-life implications of their decisions? They can't. The people whose opinions matter are in our cities and towns - not only the folks paid to be on television.

Again, I urge you to contact your elected officials or other decision makers when anything that they are involved with concerns you and your family. You might be surprised how one voice can make a profound difference.

Former Congressman Robin Hayes & I (1999)