Madisonville, KY (2-18-2012) – Wild hogs, taxes and escorts were a few of the issues discussed at the Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) Legislative Breakfast at the Country Cupboard Restaurant in Madisonville Saturday morning.  Meeting with Farm Bureau members from Hopkins and Muhlenberg Counties were State representatives, Brent Yonts, Jim Gooch and Ben Waide as well as State Senator Jerry Rhoads and Judge Donnie Carroll and Mayor David Jackson.

Fritz Giesecke, Second VP of KFB told the gathering that agriculture is the number one industry in Kentucky with poultry now the number one in agriculture exceeding one billion dollars per year.  Giesecke said that 96% of customers are outside the state.  “Since 2008 agriculture has been the bright shining star in our economy.”  For national exports, “Beef passed 5 Billion in exports and swine passed 6 Billon in exports last year.”  Giesecke also point out that changes need to be made in the “guest worker program”.  “We need to workers provided with the guest worker program and then we need to send them home.”

Shawn Brumfield is president of the Hopkins County KFB and told SurfKY News that the agriculture industry is changing.  Economies of scale have changed the face of agriculture resulting in the loss of all dairy farms in Hopkins and only one left in Muhlenberg.  Also, beef production is much less in both counties.  He said that the KFB is very concerned about legislation on the state and federal levels.  Brumfield’s statement was backed up by questions from the group.  Brumfield is also concerned with increasing EPA regulations.

The cost of moving farm equipment from field to field will go up next season unless legislators can pass new legislation.  Recent changes are requiring that each oversize piece of equipment must have two escorts to travel on Kentucky roads.  The farmers agree that a front escort to warn oncoming traffic of oversize equipment is needed.  However, they disagree with having a rear escort and they feel that equipment traveling in a “convoy” should not have to have additional escorts.  The legislators agreed.

Wild hogs destroy millions of dollars of crops each year.  The hogs are sometimes released into the wild to create hunting opportunities.  The KFB wants to make such releases a Class A misdemeanor with 10 year suspension of hunting rights if convicted.  Eradication of the wild hogs has proved to be difficult.  Hunting tends to scatter herds and increase the population over a broader area.  

The KFB is also concerned about proposals that would impose sales taxes on seed, fertilizer and other supplies needed to put in a crop.  Jim Gooch said that not all tax increases resulted in increased tax revenues.  He cited the tax on luxury boats that cost hundreds of jobs and was repealed.  One attendee said “We don’t have to have a $100,000 yacht; but, we all got to eat.”  A tax on crop production would result in higher food prices.

The legislators discussed revenue problems that were contributing to the state’s budget woes.  Jerry Rhoads said “We are experiencing a decline in sales taxes due to internet sales.”  Often Kentucky sales taxes are not paid or collected on internet sales.  Brent Yonts added that “we may see land lines a thing of the past in 10 years”.  Yonts also said that there was a push to eliminate income taxes with a sales tax on services; a move that Yonts does not support.

While demand for land lines is declining, demand for high speed internet is increasing.  Donnie Carroll said that to extend broadband internet across Hopkins and Muhlenberg Counties would cost about $2,200,000.  

Jerry Rhoads is concerned that the Western Kentucky Medical Examiner office in Madisonville is scheduled to close on July 1st.  The office will close because a medical examiner cannot be found.  The problem according to Rhoads is that the pay being offered is too low.  Closure of the office will make a profound impact on Western Kentucky according to Rhoads.  “We need to pay the going rate.  There are people available out there.”   Yonts agreed pointing out that the office performs 260 autopsies per year.  Carroll also agreed pointing out that it costs $872 to transport a body to Louisville for autopsy.  Rhoads is also concerned that the additional load in Louisville will overload that office.

The legislators were supportive of Career & Technical School support; but, did not know how such a bill will be funded.  Jerry Rhoads pointed out that the schools must me flexible for different communities.  Rhoads wants to identify students wishing to pursue a CTS be identified and provide education and training to support their desires.  

Brent Yonts agreed stating that schools were still using a 1950s model of classroom instruction.  “The focus is to focus kids into getting an education….not every kid needs to go to college.”  “We need to train students for coal mining, boiler making, carpentry, and agriculture all the skills that make an economy work, we need and cannot find right now.”  Yonts believes a competitive CTS will make our workers competitive on a global level.  Yonts also suggested that students may be identified in the 8th or 9th grade in which program they would pursue.  

Regarding redistricting, the legislators are waiting on the Kentucky Supreme Court to take action.

Ron Sanders
SurfKY News

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