Mission Statement
Snohomish County Farm Bureau is a voluntary organization representing the social, cultural, political and economic interests of farm and ranch families at the local, state and national levels. By providing leadership and organizational skills, we seek to gain public support and legal justice on the issues affecting our members and the infrastructure necessary to support our agricultural community.
Snohomish County Farm Bureau seeks the preservation, protection and enhancement of the agricultural industry along with the freedoms and the rights to property that are vital to the citizens of our State who are engaged in the production of our Nations supply of food, fiber and other agricultural products. We also recognize that without access to land, water and air, our agricultural culture is not sustainable. To that end, the Snohomish County Farm Bureau is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure food supply and that our agricultural resources remain available for both the present and future needs of our society.
Snohomish County Farm Bureau Beliefs
We of the Washington Farm Bureau reaffirm our belief in our constitutional form of government and its division of powers as intended by the nation's founders the competitive free enterprise system, and the protection of God-given inalienable rights of the individual.
We believe the U.S. should be returned to a true republic (rule by law), with the federal Constitution as the supreme law.
We believe in freedom of press, speech, peaceful assembly and religion.
We pledge ourselves to the preservation of thee inalienable rights and the thwarting of socialistic tendencies whenever and however small in nature the tendency may appear.
We believe that the economic law of supply and demand, private ownership management and the profit and loss system ultimately determine true market prices.
We believe personal property rights, including water rights, are fundamental.
We believe that by protection property rights, we preserve our economic stability, the health and welfare of our citizens and the public good of this state and the sovereignty of our nation.
We oppose any erosion of these rights. Any regulation restricting the enjoyment of all fee simple property rights should be fairly compensated.
We believe that the centralization of power and authority is a threat to our very existence, life and liberties.
We believe that the trend toward more national and international control over our lives should be reversed in order to make local and state control a reality in as many areas as possible.
We believe that a monopoly, wherever found (labor, industry, government, or agriculture), jeopardizes freedom and self-government.
We believe that farm people have the right and responsibility of speaking through a voluntary organization without government intervention.
We believe that government should stimulate, not discourage, individual initiative.
We believe there should be reaffirmation of all current Farm Bureau policies concerning the vital role that education should play in the continuous endeavor to help students to acquire a better concept of the basic principles of our system of government, and the competitive enterprise system.
We believe that a better understanding our economic system would bring a return of sane fiscal policies and solvency, and that a better knowledge of our original national goals and of our Constitution, as written, will ensure a zealous guarding of the personal freedoms guaranteed therein.
We support a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
We believe that to safeguard and restore these inalienable rights, we need to actively engage in public discourse at all levels of government through proactive participation in policy development, community action, or any other necessary public process.
(1994, Amended 1997, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Responsible Stewardship
There has to be a better way.
Our environment does not appear to be improving in spite of the
multitude of rules, regulations, and penalties for violations.
One hundred and fifty years ago the area was forested and undeveloped
and the fish and wildlife were abundant. Today, the virgin timber and
most of the second growth has been harvested, cities and urban sprawl
has replaced much of the native wildlife habit, and there is a lot of
infrastructure in place.
Federal and state agencies have been established with the intent to
protect and enhance the environment. The direction most agencies have
pursued to accomplish their objective has been through restrictive
rules and regulations that take away property rights and impose great
penalties when violated. Greater buffers near sensitive areas may
not be providing the desired protection. Little is devoted to
encouraging responsible stewardship. Rewarding and acknowledgment
for doing the right thing is seldom done.
Fish numbers have continued to plummet. The expensive fish habitat
restoration projects in the Snohomish river estuary may be a start,
but how effective remains to be seen. A lot of money that is being
spent on restoration projects appears to be allocated towards
landscaping and beautification. Much of it will be destroyed within
a short time from natural events.
Picking and choosing what we are protecting will fail. We need to be
good stewards of all. If something is sacrificed today, we may find
it necessary to place restrictive sanctions on it tomorrow.
In order for something to be accepted and successful, it needs to be
beneficial to those whom it may impact. By taking property rights from
a selective few in order to try in accomplish making improvements for
the majority will create friction and resistance. If the greater
majority will benefit by the actions and sacrifices of a minority,
the majority should be willing to compensate for those sacrifices.
It may be less expensive, have greater success, and have better
acceptance by a wider spectrum of the populace if the jest of the
efforts were reward driven verses threat of the law with penalties.
The efforts of one or a few will help but to make an impact and be successful, the greater community must be receptive and be pro active. Responsible stewardship will require:
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Education starting with our youth at an early age
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Self-respect and taking care of oneself
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Passion, sacrifices, and willingness to do the right thing
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Acknowledgement and rewards along with compensation for taken property rights
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Cooperation and collusion from within both the private and authoritative communities
When one is prevented from doing the right thing because the burden of
the law requires more money, time, or effort than one can justify, then
a change needs to be made. But when we all work together then much will
be accomplished.
