DELEGATES MEET IN KANSAS CITY

The National Delegates Meeting was held in conjunction with the National Association of Farm Broadcasters meeting and Trade Talk Show which was on Nov. 14. The delegates meeting was on Nov. 15 at the Clarion Hotel.

This year AAM was able to have a booth at Trade Talk. We spoke with several media people. Both radio and print media reporters came by our booth. They represented a good cross section of rural America. This year Leo Hopper, Oklahoma State President, joined Wayne Allen, Buddy Vance and V.B. Morris to man the both. The Trade Talk started at 8:00 a.m. and ran through 1:00 p.m. There was a steady stream of reporters the entire period of the show. Everyone involved felt the booth gave AAM another opportunity to once again voice our message of low farm commodity prices received by producers. Most of the reporters we talked to seemed responsive.

Leo Hopper made a quick walk through the show to observe the other booths. He remarked that everyone there except AAM was there only to sell something to the farmer and rancher.

The delegates met on Friday. The Convention was discussed with final plans being made for speakers, auctioneer and a preacher for Sunday morning. Another subject was the AAM web site and what to do to encourage more inquiries and to create more interest. Larry Matlack is working with Joyce to make some improvements and special weekly or monthly reports to inspire more interest in the web site. If you have any thoughts on that matter, please contact Joyce Jobgen.

The National Family Farm Coalition has finally realized that the prices received by farmers is a major concern in the survival of rural America. They have drafted a bill to raise farm prices to at least the cost of production with a reasonable profit. They are now looking for the member organizations to join in support of this legislation. They will be looking for sponsors in Congress soon after the first of the year. AAM has always supported any legislation that would improve prices paid to farmers. The delegates voted to support the NFFC legislation.

The resolutions of the organization will soon be posted on the internet for all to read and remind each of us the long road we have been down. We all know that the road before us is longer and bumpier than any that we have crossed up to now. It is important that members take and active part in the organization. Go to your state meetings and plan to be at the National Convention next January in Oklahoma City. Your presence and ideals are important, as we are a grassroots organization, with only one goal in mind. PARITY prices for all agriculture producers in the U.S.