Pro-ag candidates, all are welcome at meeting

MOSES LAKE — The speaker at next week's farm bureau meeting might poke a little fun at farmers.

Grant County Farm Bureau President John Bates explained his organization tries to get a quality speaker each year for its annual meeting to draw in members.

Iowa farmer and speaker Wayne Humphreys addresses bureau members at the meeting Oct. 26 at the Best Western Lake Inn. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.

Bates said he could not specifically say what topics Humphreys might address, but estimated the speech to be "kind of a humorous laugh on farmers themselves." Humphreys comes highly recommended, he added.

"For example, one of the things he says is that he's a big enough farmer that his wife has to work in town," Bates previewed. "He's just basically going to poke fun at ourselves."

The meeting also serves as an annual business meeting, election of board members, nomination of nine delegates to the state convention, financial report, a review of activities in the past year and a preview of the events ahead, Bates said.

"Usually we average between 135 and 150 (attendants)," Bates said, adding with a chuckle, "Depending on how many football games there are that night."

The meeting typically takes place the first Thursday in November, Bates noted.

"(But) it seems there's always a play-off game that night," he joked.

To compensate, the bureau decided to try a week earlier.

"We hope the guys are through digging spuds. We have to get it done in this timeframe, in this couple of weeks, so that we can get our delegates for the state convention."

Some candidates running for office will be present as well.

"It's a chance for us to thank them for their efforts," Bates said. "Whether we agree with them or disagree with them, we appreciate people willing to stick their heads up and be counted."

Bates said the year was good for the bureau, not perfect but acceptable, with membership up.

"We won some politically, we lost some," he said.

Bates noted the bureau selects candidates its members feel will support farmers.

"That's our job. We're the largest organization in the state. We kind of think we wind up being a little prejudiced when we pick representatives because we're the only ones doing it for the farmers. Everybody else can take care of themselves," he said with a laugh. "That sounds a little selfish, but we think if the ag economy's strong, the rest of the economy will be just fine."

Bates expects the bureau to have a presence at the state's legislative sessions and said the organization will send several board members to the national convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January.

Earlier this year, Bates said, the bureau brought state Board of Natural Resources Chair Doug Sutherland to Moses Lake to discuss issues of concern to farmers.

"They're buying a lot of farm land, the state is, and it's competition to farmers," Bates said. "I don't know that we changed his course, but he definitely listened to us. We hate to be in competition with the state for farm ground, so that's one of the issues we're going to be working some more on in the upcoming year."