Agricultural News
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Delegates Go On Record to Support Increase in Fuel Tax If Money Used for Roads and Bridges
Sun, 12 Nov 2017 14:16:20 CST
Delegates to the 2017 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Convention in Norman approved a wide variety of policy resolutions that were submitted to them by the State Resolutions Committee, which had sifted through several hundred proposals that came up from County Farm Bureaus. More than three hundred delegates from all 77 Oklahoma Counties weighed in on seventy six resolutions that covered a wide variety of issues.
Several of the resolutions sparked significant debate- with perhaps one of the hotest topics of conversation coming as delegates voted 79% in favor of "supporting a fuel tax increase capped at 6 cents per gallon added to the current tax and distributed under the existing formula, dedicated to roads and bridges with counties receiving a portion of the revenue. Maintain the dyed fuel exemption." The delegates also voiced full support to eliminate tax breaks currently in place for wind power and stated that "Electric vehicles should pay a road tax."
Delegates also approved being "opposed to any increase to rural ad valorem taxes by any municipality."
Farm Bureau is also looking for a way to raise the level of protection for their sales tax exemption for inputs for ag production. Delegates approved a measure that stated "Recently, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that to eliminate an existing exemption, only a simple majority vote of the legislature is required. Agricultural inputs should be moved to a non taxed status, rather than be a sales tax exemption status. Legislation should be adopted during the 2018 session."
The delegates also weighed in on Water Law- saying "Oklahoma Farm Bureau opposes 'out of state water sales."" They also weighed in on several Heathcare issues- as the group worried about quality health care in rural parts of Oklahoma. One resolution acknowledged that "rural medical care is declining rapidly" and that in order to help improve rural healthcare in Oklahoma, the organization believes that the state of Oklahoma should reinstate the student loan forgiveness for physician assistants and nurse practitioners who practice in rural areas.
The group also strongly favored "increased funding for control of the feral hog population" with funds to go to the Oklahoma Department of Ag and the Oklahoma Wildlife Services Agency.
The group approved a limited number of national policy positions that will be forwarded on to the American Farm Bureau Resolution process. Delegates approved "support for "Right to Repair" equipment. We believe all diagnostic equipment and codes should be made available to the purchaser and independent repair shops."
Oklahoma delegates approved language saying "AFBF should work with USDA to make the acreage reporting system between the Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency seem less of a hassle for the producer. One signature at one office should work for both offices."
Delegates also called for the "repeal of the Veterinary Feed Directive which requires a veterinarian's authorization to use pharmaceutical feed additives and medicated feed."
And resolution number 76 expressed Oklahoma Farm Bureau's support for "AFBF's goals in drafting the 2018 Farm Bill."
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