President's Message

July 2012

The High Speed Rail issue has consumed a lot of time for our Board and the Office.  As I write this the legislature –make that the State Senate, is struggling to find the votes necessary to issuing bong funding for the Project.  The month marks a historic action on this issue however –our parent organization –the California Farm Bureau Federation, came out in strong opposition to the Project and will not support it.  This action assists MCFB in our legal stance and in our own opposition to the Project.  Six out of eight County Farm Bureaus in the Central Valley have voted to oppose the Project –putting a solid black eye in the face of the High Speed Rail alignment.  MCFB filed a law suit to make the authority properly respond to our concerns about impacts to agriculture and to the community.  To this, many of you responded to our request for donations to bring this law suit to bear on the Authority.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. The outpouring of financial support was impressive, reinforcing MCFB’s actions and knowing that we are doing the right thing for our County.  Your generous support is helping make the voices of Madera County heard and heeded.  If you would like to help, please contact our office and we will send you a letter with a form for donation.  I will say it again, thank you very much.

For some reason, summertime brings an increase in copper theft, and this one is no different.  Metal theft is on the rise in general so please be on the lookout for suspicious activities.  MCFB maintains an Ag crimes reward to any person that supplies information to the Sheriff’s Department that results in the capture of suspected criminals.  Please contact the Office for more information. 

We held a very successful meeting at the Office with the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition to discuss the new up and coming ground water regulations.  You still have some time to join the Coalition before the new rules go into effect.  If you missed the meeting and have any questions or would like copies of the information handed out, please contact the MCFB Office.  There will be more information coming in October; as this will be a big issue going forward. 

Final thought;
There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception.

Hope you have a great July!

See Ya!

Tom Rogers