President's Column: COVID Can’t Stop Grassroots Advocacy
The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is fortunate to have a partnership at our State Capitol with Mapes & Mapes, LLC.
To most in Farm Bureau circles, we just call them Joe and Sandy. “Big Joe” is instantly recognizable for his bodybuilding physique, but equally well known for his kind manner. And if you know Joe, you’ve heard his famous line: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu!”
Under current COVID-19 protocols, this is more true than ever, both at our state capitol and in Washington D.C.
We certainly understand the need for public safety and health in continuing limitations on open visits to our legislative bodies. However, we can’t allow for that to be an excuse to get lazy on making our voices heard.
The pandemic has impacted so many and in so many different ways. It is clear that restrictions have placed a strain on our economy. Our elected officials have big hurdles to face in how we, as a community, tackle these challenges with solutions.
That’s where we must be at the table. It is time to get creative and learn how you can still make your voice heard, even if you can’t be in a committee hearing or visiting a congressional member on Capitol Hill.
Fortunately, no organization is more poised to meet this challenge than the Farm Bureau. Grassroots advocacy is based on being heard from home.
While we are lucky to have great elected leaders both here at the state level, and in Washington, it takes farmers and ranchers like you and I speaking up for our issues to be heard. Not just heard, but understood—through educating our officials on why the requests we make are not just wants, but needs.
Our state economy is facing challenges and taxes will be a target to solve deficits we face. Like previous years, we will need to stay vocal about agricultural exemptions on our inputs to show how this long-standing policy allows for economic growth in farming and ranching, as well as in our local communities.
We also have a story to share nationally about our sustainable management practices. President Biden has been clear that he and his administration have lofty goals dealing with climate issues. We as farmers have to find our place at that table as well.
At Farm Bureau, we often say we play a lot of “defense” representing you on issues. That continues to be our goal. Like any great team, we can’t just be good at one thing—we also have to take the ball and score— advancing our team through these challenges to victory. To play both sides of the ball, it takes the whole team focused and conditioned toward success.
While topics like climate, taxes, labor and others seem to only grow in complications, we trust you will still be on the “active roster.” Active through relationships, voicing your needs and continuing to be an essential part of our economy.
I encourage you to find ways to make connections with your elected officials, even in a COVID world. If the physical tables and capitol halls of Baton Rouge and Washington D.C. are more difficult to be in, then think how much more impactful communication from home could be.