LOCALS AT FARM BUREAU MEETING SHINE; LARGE CAPE COUNTY CROWD ATTENDS MEETING

JEFFERSON CITY -- Voting delegates representing Farm Bureau members from Cape Girardeau County were among the crowd attending the 85th Annual Meeting of Missouri Farm Bureau Dec. 5-7 in Osage Beach.

A record attendance of 1,655 farmers, ranchers and guests attended the meeting, where Saline County farmer Jay Plattner was re-elected to his third consecutive term as vice-president of the state's largest farm organization.

The voting delegates debated resolutions and passed official Farm Bureau policy for 2000.

"Today many family farmers are struggling to survive as the agricultural industry responds to low commodity prices, consolidation, weak foreign demand and large global supplies," said Charles Kruse, president of Missouri Farm Bureau. "Because this cannot continue, every government policy and every action must be considered for their effect on our family farms and rural communities."

Among many topics receiving discussion were efforts to increase agricultural exports, adding value to farm products and strengthening the enforcement of federal laws governing agricultural consolidations and mergers.

Kruse will present Missouri policy of national and international interest to voting delegates of the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual meeting in Houston, Texas next month.

Cape County Farm Bureau members who participated in the Missouri Farm Bureau annual meeting include: Stanley Sievers, Bob Nitch, Raymond Ramply, R.C. Kasten, Tom Sachse, Chris Haertling, Gladys Nitsch, Betty Rampley, Ruth Kasten, Cheryl Sachse, Amy Gentry, Dorothy Ludwig, Marvin Ludwig, Mr. & Mrs. Junior Peetz and Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Preusser.