| APRIL 1, 2024 -- We have lost a great friend and member of the State Grange family, Gordon F. Gibson. He joined the Legislative Committee under my father William A. Miller and had a great knowledge of land acquisition and farm bills. He encouraged the State Grange to partner in Working Lands Alliance, a private fund that purchases farm development rights, and a member of Farmland Trust, a State program that purchases farm development rights. Gordon also assisted Granges with land acquisition on DOT projects.
Gordon also was very involved with the Wapping Fair in South Windsor, CT, with set-up, parking, grounds operations and clean-up. He was also active in the Rockville Vo-Ag program as an advisor for incoming students. He was Master of North Central and East Central Pomona Granges and was a scary Spector for the Fifth Degree.
Gordon was a great asset during State Sessions as a debater, session committee chair, and as a person to correct grammar errors in resolutions.
Gordon, may you meet up with George Ward and other fellow Grangers in the Great Grange Above. Thank you for the pleasure of working with you.
After the Super Tuesday Primary, Biden and Trump will be the nominees for the 2024 Presidential election.
I saw an interesting article on a computer program that is being tested for fine-tuning the market price for corn, wheat and soybeans. This program allows the contracts to be fine-tuned according to what the lowest price to be paid to farmers so that the buyer can make the most profit. If this is true, then farmers will always be dealt the losing hand, and will never see a fair deal for the hard work they do for feeding America. We have seen this in the livestock industry where the top 5 processors have talked with each over to set prices at the sales barns, limit or restrict animals in the feedlots, slowed down the slaughter line to reduce supply, even during great demand, and shut down plants to cause spikes in the pricing. If this is the plan for our farmers that old song “My wife got the goldmine and I got the shaft,” only the farmers are getting the shaft, again.
The Supreme Court will be reviewing the 1984 decision, Chevron USA v. Natural Resources Defense Council. A group of New Jersey fishermen have complained that the US Government’s policies violate fishermen’s rights by asking them to report information on fish numbers and locations of fish to better manage the fish populations. Big money is funding these fishermen so that if overruled the courts will dictate policies rather than the science that is available by the agencies who are the watchmen of our resources. If overruled, then the safety nets that the agencies offer will be stripped of their power to protect all of us. Why should judges replace scientists who have the knowledge and facts for the good of man. Watch closely for the rich who will inherit the earth.
L to R: State Overseer Ted Powell, Aili McKeen and Leg. Director Noel Miller pose in front of the State Grange booth at the State Capitol Ag Day.
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