Press Releases

Official statement from the Tennessee Farm Bureau regarding the veto by the governor of the Livestock Protection Act legislation

Click the image to view larger.

Columbia, TN (May 13, 2012) We respect Governor Haslam’s decision and appreciate his due diligence in considering the various aspects of the Livestock Protection Act (SB1248 Gresham and HB1191 Holt).  Although we are disappointed, we are appreciative of his recognition that well-established, long-accepted agricultural practices on farms are vulnerable to unfair attacks through misrepresentation and deception.  We also appreciate the sponsors and all those members of the General Assembly who believe in and support Tennessee farmers.

For the farm community this bill was all about protecting animals by stopping abuse quickly and ending the exploitation for sensationalism. Our farmers take the responsibility to care for animals very seriously. We will continue to be optimistic that we can care for animals and work to prevent animal cruelty.

Looking forward, our farmers will continue to display the relationship between farmers and their animals that was eloquently captured by Paul Harvey in his 1978 speech to the National FFA Convention. As caretakers, farmers have many times stayed up all night to care for a weak newborn…only to watch it die. “Then the farmer dries his eyes and says, ‘Maybe next year.'…… So God made a farmer.”

To see a copy of Governor Haslam's statement, click here.

- 30 -

Ag Day on the Hill

Click the image to view larger.

April 2, 2013 was proclaimed “Agriculture Day on the Hill” in Tennessee by Governor Bill Haslam.  To celebrate the occasion, commodity groups and agriculture businesses from across Tennessee gathered in Nashville to help tell agriculture’s story to the legislature and people visiting the Legislative Plaza.

The halls inside the plaza were lined with informative and impressive booths touting agriculture’s top commodities and commodity groups, agricultural colleges and organizations that support the agriculture industry in Tennessee.  And outside on the Legislative Plaza was a sight that had to be seen to be believed.

It’s not very often these days that you see cows, pigs, chickens, mules, sheep and goats munching on hay and feed in the middle of Nashville and especially at the entrance to the state legislature, but that is what passersby saw that Tuesday…and if they happened to walk by around 9:45, they also saw quite a crowd gathered to cheer on the rematch of Speaker of the House Beth Harwell and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey in a milking contest.  After last year’s challenge of milking goats, this year returned to the more traditional dairy cows for the contestants to milk, with Speaker Harwell milking a Brown Swiss named Giggles and Lt. Gov. Ramsey milking a Holstein named Rascal.  It would seem the odds were in Lt. Gov. Ramsey’s favor, having grown up on a dairy farm and around animals all his life, while Speaker Harwell is a self-proclaimed city-girl; but in the end Speaker Harwell emerged the victor for the 2nd year in a row, narrowly pulling out a win over Ramsey.  Pettus Read, president of the Farm and Forest Families of Tennessee, who sponsors and helps put on Ag Day on the Hill in conjunction with the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, presented Speaker Harwell with a trophy pail proclaiming her as a person “with a lot of pull” in Nashville and a $750 donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank in her name.

After those festivities, a standing-room only crowd gathered in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee meeting, which, after dealing with the business for the day, showcased some of agriculture’s finest – including State 4-H Council Secretary Rachael Wolters and State FFA President Sarah Best, who each spoke eloquently on what their respective youth organizations have provided them and the youth of the state; Commissioner of Agriculture Julius Johnson, who shared what a vital industry agriculture is to Tennessee and the impact it makes on the economy; and a very special recognition to Tennessee Farm Bureau’s own Director of Communications Pettus Read – who received a joint resolution signed by both Houses and the Governor honoring him for his many years of dedicated service to agriculture in Tennessee and his outstanding efforts to be the voice for the farmers across the state.

Washington County Farmer Jeff Aiken Elected VP of Nation’s Largest State Farm Bureau

jeff aiken, tennessee farm bureau
Click the image to view larger.

During their 91st annual convention held at Franklin’s Cool Springs Marriott, the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation’s delegates, representing agriculture and farmers across the state, not only debated policy proposals and passed resolutions to work on passage of legislation in 2013 at the state and federal levels, they also elected a new vice president of the nation’s largest state Farm Bureau organization.

Washington county beef, dairy and tobacco farmer Jeff Aiken was elected today by the voting delegate body to serve as the organization’s vice president that represents more than 657,000 family members in Tennessee. Aiken has served as a director-at-large on the state board of directors since 1998 when he was elected to that office by the Farm Bureau’s county leadership statewide.  He has headed up numerous committees at the state level, as well as being his county’s president for many years.  He has held the office of state YF&R chairman and was the 1992 Tennessee Young Farmer of the Year.

The new Tennessee Farm Bureau vice president is a native of Washington County.  He and his wife Carol farm near Tedford in upper East Tennessee where he produces corn, 100 acres of tobacco and over 300 head of beef cattle.

Elected to replace Aiken as director-at-large during the organization’s business session was David Richesin of Loudon County. Richesin and his wife Becky farm more than 800 acres of row crops near Philadelphia, Tenn. He has an ag business degree from the University of Tennessee and is also a former winner of the YF&R Young Farmer of the Year award in 1999. Both he and his wife have served on numerous Farm Bureau committees at all levels and have three sons also involved in the family farming operation.

Others re-elected to the board of directors by the voting delegates were: Charles Hancock from Bumpus Mills, Mrs. Catherine Via from Alamo, Malcolm Burchfiel from Newbern, Eric Mayberry from Hurricane Mills, James Haskew from South Pittsburg, Dan Hancock from Smithville, David Mitchell from Blaine and Mrs. Jane May, State Women’s chairman from Newbern.

Also during the annual meeting, Jimmy McAllister of Greene County was selected as the new state Young Farmer and Rancher chairman.

 

-30-

 

For additonal information contact: Pettus L. Read, Director of Communications TFBF

Statement by Lacy Upchurch, President, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding Election

“The Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation congratulates President Barack Obama on his re-election as well as those elected from Tennessee to serve in the 113th Congress and those state leaders elected to serve in the 108th Tennessee General Assembly. 

“There are a number of important issues that need to be addressed both at the national and state level and we have to come together in a bipartisan fashion to resolve those issues for the benefit of our country and American agriculture. 

“We are hopeful that Congress can move forward and approve a new farm bill during the lame duck session of the 112th Congress to ensure a safe and affordable food supply for our country and maintain a safety net for our farmers and ranchers who provide our food security.

“Farm Bureau looks forward to working in a cooperative manner to help the administration and all elected officials to continue improving the lives of our farm families, rural communities and all Americans.”

###

Day of Prayer for Those Affected by Drought

Click the image to view larger.

Tomorrow, the American Farm Bureau Federation will be asking Americans all across this nation to take time out and remember those facing severe struggles due to this year’s devastating drought. The Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation is also urging all fellow Tennesseans to give time in prayer remembering those individuals and families facing challenges related to the ongoing drought during this National Day of Prayer for Drought Victims.

“There is hardly a person involved in agriculture this year who has not been adversely affected by the drought of 2012,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “And while many farm and ranch families are feeling the effects immediately due to withered crops, parched pastures, higher feed costs, or even wildfires, the lingering effects of this drought will be felt all across our nation for many months to come.”

Tennessee Farm Bureau President Lacy Upchurch also joined the American organization’s president by requesting those within the Volunteer State to unify in prayer for those hurting. He said, “We have always been known in the farming communities of our state as a group of people who come together when times get tough. This year’s drought has called for much unity, compassion and faith in the One above. Let’s take time tomorrow to offer up a prayer for those still fighting the effects of drought in our country today, and for what the future may hold due to on going effects in months ahead, that we all may feel.”

###

Repeal of State Inheritance Tax Pleases Farmers

A major hurdle for farmers who wish to pass their farms on to their children will disappear in 2016.  Reforming the inheritance tax has been a Farm Bureau priority issue for many years and that hard work is finally paying off as legislation made its way through the process to end Tennessee’s inheritance tax.

 In January, Gov. Bill Haslam announced that his budget included raising the inheritance tax exemption level from $1 million to $1.25 million and he planned to eventually raise the exemption level to match the federal inheritance tax exemption of $5 million.  Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Randy McNally sponsored the Senate version while House Finance, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Sargent was the House sponsor. Thanks to leadership from both chairmen, an agreement was reached with the administration to go further.  After final passage last week in the senate, the legislation now waits for the signature of the governor. It increases the exemption level to $1.25 million in 2013, $2 million in 2014, $5 million in 2015 and eliminates the tax in 2016.

After the final vote in the senate chambers Tennessee Farm Bureau President Lacy Upchurch said, “The Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation is extremely pleased with the work of the Tennessee Legislature in repealing the death tax on the state level. This has been an issue for us for a number of years and our leadership has put in a lot of hours working to get the federal and state death tax repealed. That hard work led to the exemption we now have at the federal level of up to $5 million dollars, and we are extremely pleased with the state legislature and their wisdom to repeal it completely on the state level.

“The general public is beginning to realize the importance of agriculture and food production in this country and how important it is to keep farm families on the farm working to produce that food. In many cases, farmers were forced to sell part of their land in order to pay the death tax, and the elimination of it allows farmers to stay on their land.

“We would also like to thank Governor Haslam, who, in his State of the State address started the process of eliminating this tax. Through the leadership of Senator McNally and Representative Sargent as sponsors, we worked with the legislature in a bi-partisan effort and they agreed to try and push for total elimination. The legislature, the governor and we think it will add jobs to Tennessee and certainly relieve a lot of our farm families of the necessity of paying taxes on land they’ve already been paying taxes on for years.” 

The full repeal of the inheritance tax is a significant tax reform for farmers and other agribusinesses. When farm owners pass away and their land and business are transferred to their children, heirs are required to pay taxes on the transaction. Since many farmers hold their investments in land and equipment rather than large amounts of cash, farms are often split and sold to pay the tax. Not only is this double-taxing earnings by the farmer, this all comes at a time when the family is grieving the loss of a loved one.

 ###

                                                         

Statement by Lacy Upchurch, President Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation Regarding Withdrawal of the Overreaching Child Labor Proposal

Statement by Lacy Upchurch, President Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation
Regarding Withdrawal of the Overreaching Child Labor Proposal

 

COLUMBIA, TN. April 27, 2012– “The Labor Department’s decision to withdraw its proposed rules that would have prevented young people from working in agriculture is great news for Tennessee and the United States’ farmers. This success comes after a concerted effort from the farm community across our nation to explain and show the department how important of a role agriculture plays in young people’s lives in building their sense of responsibility, commitment and leadership.

“The Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation thanks not only the grassroots efforts of farmers and ranchers, but also the diligence of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and those members of Congress who listened to the voices of their constituents. Without their help, the issue could have ended far differently for America’s rural youth and farm families.

“Agriculture safety will remain a priority for farms across Tennessee, and Tennessee Farm Bureau looks forward to continuing our educational efforts on the importance of farm safety and new ways to ensure the safety of everyone on the farm. But we will continue to support and work to make certain parental exemptions remain protected for the future of our industry. After all, without youth to get excited about agriculture, what kind of future would we have?”


###


For additional information contact:
Pettus Read, TFBF Director of Communications
931-388-7872 ext. 2212
pread@tfbf.com

Farm Bureau Supports State Fair Bill

Farm Bureau Supports State Fair Bill 
(SB3603 Haynes - HB 3208 Womick)

 

Columbia, TN (April 25, 2012) - The purpose of SB 3603 is to bring some certainty by establishing a state commission to continue the existence of a Tennessee State Fair.  This bill deals only with establishing a state fair commission and authorizing it with the necessary duties and responsibility to ensure the continuation of a Tennessee State Fair.  Rest assured our interest is not only in preserving the state fair, but in revitalizing it into a cultural event that makes all TENNESSEANS proud.

It makes complete sense that our state fair should be located in our state capital and the bill gives the state commission the flexibility to negotiate toward that end.

The bill does not address the Nashville Fairgrounds property in any way. It does not sell the fairgrounds property (which is owned by Metro Davidson County) and it does not require the state fair be held on state property only.  Further, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation is on record as stating that currently the Nashville Fairgrounds property is the best location for a state fair.  Any report to the contrary is simply erroneous.

The bill does ensure we have a state law creating a commission to keep a state fair.  Without this bill the continuation of a Tennessee State Fair at any location would remain at risk.

We thank those who have contacted us and are glad to know that they, like us, want to see the Tennessee State Fair thrive for future generations.  We encourage all who want to see a great state fair at the Nashville Fairgrounds to get involved, be a volunteer and demand accountable reporting on this issue.

Farm Animal Care Coalition of Tennessee (FACCT) Names Executive Director

Click the image to view larger.

Tennessee now has an organization devoted to collectively represent the state’s animal agriculture industry with a factual, proactive voice.  The Farm Animal Care Coalition of Tennessee (FACCT) was established by animal agriculture supporters across the state to be a reliable resource for the public and farmers regarding humane care, well-being issues and best management practices for farm animals. The Coalition aims to reach out to producers, consumers, law makers, the media and the public with facts about farm animal well fare.

Lou Pitts Nave, a native of Cannon County and sixth generation livestock producer, has been named the Executive Director of FACCT. Nave will be working with livestock producers across the state developing networks to support the work of the coalition.

Nave holds a bachelor of science degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Her work experiences include the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Virginia Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association and most recently as an elementary education teacher.

Along with her husband Glenn and daughters Hannah and Emily, Nave raises commercial beef cattle, Tennessee Walking Horses and sheep.  She is involved in the Tennessee Farm Bureau, serving on the State Women’s Leadership Committee, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, and is a 4-H volunteer.

On taking the new position, Nave said, “I look forward to working with all animal agriculture supporters across Tennessee providing a proactive voice for animal agriculture. Working together we can slow the tide of animal rights activism and replace it with positive factual information about Tennessee animal agriculture.

Tennessee Young Farmers and Ranchers Win National Honors

Click the image to view larger.

During the 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Tennessee Young Farmers & Ranchers took home top honors in the Achievement Award and Excellence in Agriculture competitions. Young farmers and ranchers from around the country competed for the awards by demonstrating knowledge of and achievement in agriculture, as well as commitment to promoting the agriculture industry.

Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Ben and Jennifer Moore of Weakley County recieve either a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado or 2012 GMC Sierra, courtesy of GM. The Moores will also receive paid registration to attend the 2012 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan in February.

The Moores farm over 3,400 acres in the surrounding Dresden area of Weakley County. Their major crops are corn, soybeans and pasture for an approximate 75 head cow/calf livestock herd that they manage. Jennifer also manages 4,000 sows and 14 employees on a separate operation. The couple also has their own swine operation as well.

Both Ben and Jennifer have been very active in the Young Farmer and Rancher program, as well as the Weakley County Farm Bureau and his community. Ben has served as the state YF&R committee chairman, a member of the TFBF Board of Directors, American Farm Bureau PAL scholarship participant and held numerous county YF&R leadership positions. Jennifer is a member of the Tennessee Pork Producers Association, active on numerous YF&R committees, as well as several community organizations. The Moores have three sons.

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.

Andy and Ellie Holt, also from Weakley County, Tennessee won the Excellence in Agriculture Award. They will receive their choice of either a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado or 2012 GMC Sierra, courtesy of GM, plus free registration to the 2012 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference.

The Holts, along with their three children, own and operate Holt Family Farms, a custom hog and agritourism operation in Weakley County. They have diversified by creating a pick your own pumpkin and Christmas tree operation seasonally and have educational opportunities for all who visit the farm.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

- 30 -

For more information contact: Pettus Read, TFBF Director of Communiations, (931) 388-7872 ext. 2212, pread@tfbf.com

Pages