Colorado Farm Bureau : Sends Priorities to...

Colorado Farm Bureau today sent a letter to U.S. Senator Cory Gardner outlining its policy priorities for the 155th Congress. The correspondence is in reply to Sen. Gardner's request for information on policies that could help assist the agriculture industry in dealing with the recent drop in prices for farm products.

'Whether it is regulations or legislation, it is important for the Administration and Congress to understand the impact of their policies, and agriculture is no exception,' wrote the Senator in his Jan. 10th letter.

Since receiving the request, CFB has worked to solicit feedback from the rural and agricultural community around Colorado about priority issues for the coming months and years. CFB President Don Shawcroft says that farmers and ranchers were quick to offer feedback and ideas.

'We had a handful of specific priority areas to provide the Senator. Folks from around the state were eager to offer specific ideas about the things that were negatively impacting their ability to produce food and stay in business,' he said. 'Those ideas are contained in our letter to the Senator and we could not be more pleased that he is seeking our feedback.'

The reply to the Senator contains ideas ranging from tax policy to public lands administration, including specific reforms to the Endangered Species Act, repeal of the 'Waters of the United States ' rule, repeal of the Death Tax, reforms to the immigration system and suggestions for new legislation, as well as support for transportation and infrastructure funding.

'We covered a broad range of issues to help provide as many good ideas and specific policy changes as we could,' said Shawcroft. 'Luckily, our organization conducts a yearly policy development process, so our members are always flush with ideas about how to help agriculture prosper.'

In the letter Shawcroft commits to working closely with the Senator and his staff to help them implement the policies contained in the letter in the coming Congressional session.

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Colorado Farm Bureau is the state's largest grassroots organization with more than 25,000 members across Colorado. CFB seeks to promote and protect the future of agriculture and rural values.