The PA State
Grange hosted their annual Grange Day Dinner for members
from around the Commonwealth yesterday at the Farm Show
Complex in
Harrisburg. The event was
attended by nearly 80 Grange members and about 25
legislators and staff members despite the nasty weather
and the House of representatives canceling their session
for the day.
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PA State
Grange President Betsy Huber accepts a
Senate Citation from Senator Mike Brubaker,
Chairman of the Senate Agriculture & Rural
Affairs Committee
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Grangers and legislators listen to keynote
speaker Senator Mike Brubaker
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This year's format was a
little different than past years with members first
gathering at the Farm Show complex at 12:45 pm and car
pooling to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg
for a three hour tour of that beautiful facility.
At 4:00 pm, everyone
returned to the VIP Lounge in the Farm Show Complex and
at 4:30 PA State Grange President Betsy Huber welcomed
everyone and introduced the State Grange officers and
committee members in attendance. The Grangers were then
addressed by John Barley, a partner in Wolff Strategies,
the PA State Grange's lobbying firm. John explained
some of the legislative efforts that the Grange had been
successful with in the year 2006, including partial
reform to property taxes, eminent domain reform and
eco-terrorism legislation. He then went on to talk
about the 2007 legislative agenda for the Grange on
items such as cable competition, problem wildlife
control (wild pigs and coyotes), animal premises
registration and tax credits for best management
practices, to name a few. John's talk educated and
prepared the Grange members in attendance for their
social time with their legislators later in the evening.
Immediately following Mr.
Barley, Rep. Art Hershey (R-Chester) presented PA State
Grange President Betsy Huber with a House Resolution
commending the Grange for its continued support of
agriculture and community and family affairs and
designating April 2007 as "Grange Month" in
Pennsylvania. The Resolution was sponsored by more than
100 Representatives and signed by Speaker of the House
Dennis O'Brien.
PA Agriculture Secretary
Dennis Wolff then explained some of the Governor's
agricultural initiatives planned in the upcoming budget
before presenting the Grange with a Governor's
Proclamation designating April 2007 "Pennsylvania State
Grange Month."
As the various legislators
began to show up for the event, a social hour was held
with cheese and crackers being served. Grangers from
across the state had an opportunity to discuss items of
interest with their legislators in a relaxed atmosphere
prior to a delicious buffet dinner of flank steak with
mushroom gravy. Most of the Representatives and
Senators stayed for dinner and took advantage of the
opportunity to continue their discussions with Grangers
from their legislative districts.
Immediately following
dinner, keynote speaker Senator Mike Brubaker
(R-Lancaster), Chairman of the Senate Agricultural &
Rural Affairs Committee and a member of Elizabethtown
Area Grange #2076, recognized the PA State Grange with a
Senate Citation recognizing the organization for its
"dedicated efforts in supporting Pennsylvania's
agricultural and rural communities." The Senator then
spoke to Grangers about items of interest including the
poor state of today's dairy industry, potential problems
with the pending changes to the dog laws, the fact that
a majority of the Federal Farm Bill is dedicated to
nutritional and not agricultural programs, and updating
Farmland Preservation. He then opened the floor to
questions from the membership and legislators.
PA State Grange President
Huber then closed the evening by thanking the
legislators and Grange members for attending a
successful Grange Day event.