Texas County (Missouri) Farm Bureau Expels Member Over NAIS

Outspoken Farm Bureau Member gets the Axe over NAIS!

For immediate release; contact information; Bob Parker Bob@bakerealty.com

Texas County Farm Bureau Expels member over NAIS

In Houston, Missouri the debate over The National Animal Identification System rages on. Tuesday, August 14th, 2007, the board met with about half of the board members present. Board member Gerald Campbell, also past President of Texas County Cattlemen's Association and also a director from District 3 of the Missouri Beef Industry Council Board of Directors, made a motion to remove longtime Texas County Board member Bob Parker because of his outspoken opposition to the NAIS program.

Mr. Campbell, whose wife Nancy works for Farm Bureau, stated that Bob Parker had attacked Missouri Farm Bureau and needed to be removed from the board. Mr. Campbell also stated that he had attended the Property Rights Congress Meeting in Cabool a few days ago and stated that PRC president Russell Wood, speaker Doreen Hannes, and speaker Ray Cunio, and Bob Parker had all attacked Missouri Farm Bureau for their promotion of NAIS. Mr. Campbell's motion was seconded by Gus Adams, his wife Betty Adams is also Vice President of the Property Rights Congress Chapter and both voted for Mr. Parker's removal.

Mr. Parker repeatedly asked specifically why the board was seeking to remove him. He was told by Mr. Campbell and Texas County FB President Don Luersson that because of his open attack upon Farm Bureau that they wanted him removed. Betty Adams charged that Mr. Parker had personally attacked Gerald Campbell at the PRC meeting by exposing how he voted on a resolution supporting Mandatory NAIS. Mr. Parker stated that he believed the votes of the Texas County Farm Bureau board should be open to it's members and the public. Mr. Campbell was invited to sit on a panel discussion on NAIS at the PRC meeting but after a 10 minute opening statement Mr. Campbell refused to answer any questions about NAIS or explain his statements. He stated that he had to leave for a granddaughters birthday party and left the panel only to take a seat in the back of the meeting hall.

Mr. Parker asked the board several times specifically what the charges were against him and also stated that the by-laws of Texas County Farm Bureau did not provide for removing a member in this way. President Don Luersson agreed but said they were going to do it anyway. No specific charges were ever given.

Mr. Parker said he would be glad to respond to any specific charges and would gladly show anyone why he has been very vocal about his opposition to what the leadership of MOFB has done, citing specifically a July 2005 letter where MOFB President Charles Kruse told the USDA that Missouri Farm Bureau supported NAIS and that the full program should ultimately be Mandatory. Mr. Parker continues to contend that MOFB grassroots members have never said that in their policy. Mr. Parker believes that the leadership in MOFB has been in full support of a mandatory program in the past and doesn't trust the leadership anymore.

Mr. Parker states ''I have pointed out what the leadership of MOFB has done, and they are continuing to cover up how this ''voluntary'' program will become ultimately Mandatory! Did you know that most marketing programs and all animal health programs are requiring a NAIS premise number? How will that be ''voluntary''? Why doesn't MOFB point that out to their members? Why is no opposition to NAIS ever invited to speak to the resolutions committee's? I could go on and on. Why did Mr. Kruse stop a meeting in Springfield when I asked about his letter? He doesn't want you to know about it, they had to get me out, this information is starting to cost them a lot of money, and members.''

I have repeatedly asked leadership in MOFB to tell the members the facts about NAIS. They have flatly refused. This is too huge of an issue to ignore, I firmly believe that if NAIS is fully implemented it will wipe out most small farmers, this is for 29 species, not just cattle!'' Mr. Parker continues, ''when I told Mr. Campbell last year about how small farmers would not do all the work that these regulations would impose he told me that we don't need all those small producers anyway, he said and I quote, 'what good are they doing for the industry?' He also voted that NAIS should be Mandatory when our board voted on it Tuesday, March 14th, 2006 by voting against it. The resolution stated; Be it hereby resolved that the Texas County Farm Bureau Board Does hereby reject the current proposal by USDA to make mandatory the implementation of the National Animal Identification System.

I think that FB members should know what their leaders really think about NAIS and I also believe that Cattlemen should know what their Missouri Beef Council leaders are saying and doing.''

The majority vote was in favor of removing Mr. Parker immediately from the board. Two members, Dan Kyle and Robert Rouse voted against the motion. Mr. Parker goes on '' I have tried to expose Farm Bureau leadership for what they have done. It comes as no surprise that this happened, I could never explain the details of what has happened to my board because of constantly being attacked by Gerald Campbell and President Don luersson at the meetings. Missouri Farm Bureau's membership is off about 10% in many areas in the State due to members learning about what Farm Bureau has done. They are very upset over that.

Mr. Parker ''I have never told anyone to leave MoFB. I have tried to work to change the organization for the better. I believe in the grassroots structure but the leadership controls all the information thatthe members get. Farm Bureau has never printed anything about why so many oppose this NAIS program. Now I strongly encourage every member to drop Farm Bureau! Drop your membership! Drop your insurance! Drop your support, and send a strong message to MOFB that this leadership must be changed before you support this organization any more''.

''I thought one of the founding principals of our country was freedom of speech, not in Farm Bureau, not anymore. You can be a grassroots member, as long as you don't expose leadership. I guess the facts speak for themselves. Don't be fooled by the new rhetoric from the leadership of Missouri Farm Bureau saying they oppose mandatory NAIS, they know that very soon NAIS will be involved in so many programs we will never keep it ''Voluntary'', regardless of their ''policy''. The days of Free Farmers will soon be over, sold out by the very people we trusted''.

For immediate release;
contact information; Bob Parker Bob@bakerealty.com