FARMERS INVOLVED IN BTU TAX BILL

The American farmer is very involved in the BTU tax plan, says Missouri Farm Bureau Federation President Charles Kruse.

"This issue is on an even faster track than we originally anticipated," Kruse said during a telephone press conference held Monday afternoon. "A full-House vote may occur before May 26. We need to accelerate our petition drives so we can deliver them to Congress before the House vote."

Kruse and Estil Fretwell, director of state and local governmental affairs for the federation, discussed President Bill Clinton's plan for the energy tax and inland waterway user's fees currently being considered in Congress. They also discussed the recent Missouri legislative session.

"The Missouri Farm Bureau is very involved at both the state and federal levels," said Kruse. "The bureau monitors all legislation and presents testimony on issues involving agriculture."

Kruse said the BTU package would hit agriculture extremely hard.

"Farmers are going to take the blunt end of the energy tax," said Kruse. "And there is no way farmers can pass on any of the energy taxes; that will come out of farmers' pockets."

He said the bill had been reduced some by the House Ways and Means Committee, but would still be devastating to the farmer, costing them up to $1 billion a year nationally.

The House and Means Committee reductions also applied to the barge industry user's fees that would increase 50 cents a gallon rather than the originally proposed $1 per gallon.

"A typical Missouri farm, which faced $2,000-a-year increases and indirect energy costs, would still be looking at a $1,500 increase a year under the amended proposal," said Kruse, who is urging all farmers to sign petitions against the proposed measure."

Bob Nitsch, Cape Girardeau County Farm Bureau president, said petition drives were being conducted locally.

"All concerned citizens are urged to sign petitions," said Nitsch. "They don't have to be a member of the Farm Bureau to sign."

Petitions are available at the Cape County Farm Bureau office and at various businesses throughout the county.

Meanwhile, Fretwell expressed satisfaction with the Private Property Rights Bill, which passed the Missouri legislature.

"The House made some minor changes to the bill previously passed by the Senate, but the Senate quickly adopted the changes and forwarded the bill to Gov. (Mel) Carnahan," said Fretwell "The new legislation is neither anti-environment or anti-government; it simply makes good, common sense."

Fretwell said the intent of the bill is to protect against any unintentional taking of private property.

"Our farmer and rancher members have been concerned that whenever there is a land-taking, intentional or unintentional, landowners should be compensated for their loss," said Fretwell.