[Nj_federation_alert] FYI - Dept. of Agriculture

[ap.maurosr at verizon.net]

Some have asked me to provide a little more information about the concerns to eliminate the Dept. of Agriculture.  

Below is a recent article.
Ant


Farmers fear Corzine plan
Thursday, March 27, 2008 
By Gene Robbins
Angry Hunterdon farmers plan to rev up their tractors Tuesday and drive them to the Statehouse to protest the governor's proposal to eliminate the Department of Agriculture as a Cabinet-level agency. 

As many as 50 tractors and horse trailers from the county and northern New Jersey will rendezvous at Dave Bond's farm on Route 579 in Delaware Township. They'll gas up and leave by 8 a.m. to roll down routes 29 or 31 in time to reach a "Save the Department of Agriculture" rally in front of the Statehouse Annex, West State Street, from 10 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. 

Not coincidentally, the Assembly Budget Committee convenes that day at 9 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Annex. 

The slow-moving tractor-cade should be quite a spectacle, and could snarl commuter traffic. Farmers are out to make a point, although pitchforks and even placards on wooden stakes are prohibited. 

Anyone who supports agriculture in the Garden State is encouraged to attend. Carpooling is recommended. Mr. Bond encouraged farm-vehicle drivers to phone him at 217-5041. 

The N.J. Farm Bureau, a nonprofit organization of 15,000 farmers and farm-related individuals, is coordinating the protest to show how New Jersey agriculture feels about Gov. Corzine's plan to dissolve the department and redistribute its functions, presumably into the departments of Health, Community Affairs or Environmental Protection. 

"We gotta get heart and soul around this," said dairy farmer Bernie Beatty of Bethlehem Township. "They split us up as a department and we'll have no powerI know farm boys -- and Gov. Corzine is no farm boy." 

Gov. Corzine, faced with the need to cut the $33 billion state budget, suggested eliminating the Personnel and Agriculture departments, as well as the Commerce Commission. The governor estimates that eliminating the three departments will save $3.8 million overall from last year, but hopefully lead to finding more efficiencies in future years, said Lilo Stainton in the governor's office. 

But it might mean more inefficiency for farmers suddenly confronted with dealing with government bureaucrats who don't know a heifer from a half-acre. Someone who deals with animals might have to report to the DEP about manure control, but the Department of Health for animal issues, said Ed Wengryn of the Farm Bureau. 

"The secretary of agriculture has been the voice for agriculture and rural New Jersey in the Cabinet," said Mr. Wengryn. "We think the voice is too important to lose for a minimum budget savings" as little as $341,000, he said. Ms. Stainton said the savings could be from offices, and executive staff and salaries. 

Mr. Bond said scuttling the agency would hurt consumers as much as farmers. The department tests milk and animal and human food, stays alert to diseases and infestation in trees and crops, breeds more productive strains of vegetables and grains and promotes the sale of food directly to the consumer. School lunch and food stamp programs fall under the department. 

"It does far more than anybody realizes for the health and welfare of the people of New Jersey," said Mr. Bond, who said people have to be careful to protect their source of food and keep it local. 

"What are we going to do to make sure we can feed people?" Mr. Beatty asked. 

Mr. Wengryn said about 90% of Ag Department's funding is passed through from the federal government, and he was fearful that New Jersey, without a department, might lose its official status and fail to qualify for some money. He said the Farm Bureau could identify $5 million specifically that might be lost. 

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Below is a link to a poll on whether the Garden State needs tha agriculture department. Please take the time to vote.

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=OPINION







Anthony P. Mauro, Sr.
Chairman, New Jersey Outdoor Alliance: 
"The  voice of the conservationist." 
www.njoutdooralliance.org