Georgia Farm Bureau tackles issues in Washington

A group of 106 Georgia Farm Bureau county presidents, county board members and state directors met with the Georgia Congressional delegation during a trip to Washington D.C. recently, voicing the organization's concerns about the 2012 farm bill, permanent estate tax reform, free trade agreements, immigration reform and attempts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expand its regulatory reach. 



"This is the most important meeting as far as national policy we have outside of our policy development meeting," said GFB President Zippy Duvall. "After we develop our policy, trying to get it implemented is the next stage of what we do. For our people to come and present our policies on the issues we're facing to our representatives — our congressmen and our senators — at this time of year is very important."



Georgia Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss spoke at a breakfast meeting with the GFB group, which also visited the offices of all 13 of the state's members of the House of Representatives.

American Farm Bureau Executive Director of Public Policy Mark Maslyn gave an outlook on Farm Bureau's key issues, and Mike Dwyer of the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service discussed factors likely to affect ag trade in the coming years.