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The Examiner
Page Eight ~ Vol. IX Issue X
Gubernatorial Candidate Drew Edmondson
Announces his vision of “Family Farmers Bill
of Rights”, Outlines Guiding Ag Principles
Okla City -- Gubernatorial candi-
date Drew Edmondson today unveiled
a “Family Farmers Bill of Rights” offer-
ing tangible solutions to protect Okla-
homa’s long tradition of agriculture in
rural communities and its important
role in the state’s economy.
“Agriculture is vital part of our econ-
omy,” Edmondson said. “Faced with
competition from corporate monopo-
lies and encroachment by foreign cor-
porations, our farmers and ranchers are
struggling to preserve not only a way of
life they love but a critical piece of our
state’s economic prosperity. As gover-
nor, I will work to protect our family
farms and rural communities.”
Edmondson, who led the charge to
stop State Question 777, a ballot mea-
sure sponsored by corporate agriculture
in 2016, said he would continue work-
ing to level the playing field for family
farmers.
“Right now the deck is stacked in favor
of wealthy multinational corporations,”
Edmondson said. “The Family Farmers
Bill of Rights is a set of key values that
will help guide our regulatory agencies
so we can preserve family farms for the
next generation.”
Edmondson today laid out five key
components for the Family Farmers Bill
of Rights, including:
1. Right to Repair
“It’s a no brainer that a farmer should
be able to repair his or her own farm-
ing equipment, but corporate entities
are prohibiting their ability to do so,”
Edmondson said. “In my first term, I’ll
introduce the Fair Repair Act to require
manufacturers to release repair infor-
mation and to sell the spare parts neces-
sary so farmers can make those repairs
regardless of warranty language to the
contrary.
2. Right to Transparent Label-
ing
“Consumers want more information
when it comes to their food sources,”
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
E XAMINER Friday, March 9, 2018
would continue talking to agriculture mondson said. “It’s time to elect leaders
groups about his governing principles who will stand up for family farmers –
regarding agriculture.
“Voters deserve to know where the
not the giant corporations that are tak-
ing over family farms across the coun-
candidates stand on these issues,” Ed- try. That’s the kind of governor I will be.”
Edmondson said. “For decades, produc-
ers have been required to include nutri-
tion information on their products. It’s
time to add country of origin to the list
of required information. People will
trust meat and produce raised in Okla-
homa and be more likely to purchase an
Oklahoma product than one that comes
from China.”
3. Right to Rural Opportunity
“The closure of rural hospitals and
the proliferation of four-day school
weeks are killing our small towns,” Ed-
mondson said. “We can preserve our
agricultural communities by protect-
ing the communities they call home.
Unlike other candidates in the race for
governor, I’ll continue to oppose forced
school consolidation, and I have a real
plan to address the budget woes that are
plaguing our health care system, our
schools and services for our veterans
– not just in Oklahoma City and Tulsa,
but in rural parts of the state too.”
4. Right to Local Control of
our Land
Cooking for Kids -- Hugo Elementary student Miss Kinsley Johnson smiles
“The best government is local govern-
for the camera as she shows off the progress on her Tamale Casserole.
ment, but the current administration
has made a bad habit of passing state
laws that prohibit municipalities from
protecting the land and water within SPECIAL YOUTH TURKEY HUNT cont’d from Pg. ONE
their borders. That practice has to stop,
* Each child participating in this hunt possess a hunting license (Lifetime
and it will stop with me.”
must have one adult (licensed or unli- Hunting OR Lifetime Combination Li-
5. Right to Protect Our Natural
censed) who is at least 21 years old ac- cense OR Resident Youth Annual Hunt-
Resources
company them on the hunt. ing OR Resident Youth Combination
“We have to end corporate stacking
Wild turkeys taken by selected youth License OR Resident Youth Fiscal Year
of regulatory entities in Oklahoma, in-
hunters will count toward the hunter’s Hunting OR Resident Youth Fiscal Year
cluding the Oklahoma Water Resources
statewide season limit. Combination License) and a $10 turkey
Board and the Department of Agricul-
Successful applicants will receive a license or proof of exemption.
ture. For too long, big business has been
notification letter that includes specific Nonresident Options (Ages 12-13):
able to self-regulate by placing repre-
information about their hunt. Youth Exempt from a hunting license, but
sentatives on these boards – the very
participants will be required to buy ap- must possess a $10 turkey license unless
entities charged with protecting our
propriate license(s) prior to the hunt as otherwise exempt.
natural resources. We have to end this
listed: Nonresident Options (Ages 14-17):
practice and guarantee family farmers a
Resident Options (Ages 12-15): Ex- Must possess a $142 nonresident an-
seat at the table.”
empt from a hunting license, but must nual hunting license and a $10 turkey
Edmondson laid out the components
possess a $10 turkey license or proof of license unless otherwise exempt.
of his plan at a meeting of the Oklaho-
exemption. For more information, call Kyle John-
ma Farm Bureau today, and he said he
Resident Options (Ages 16-17): Must son at (405) 590-2584.