Oct. 5--WYSOX TOWNSHIP -- At its annual meeting this week, the Bradford-Sullivan County Farm Bureau passed a resolution asking the state Legislature to limit the size of the proposed state severance tax on natural gas and to earmark more of the tax revenue to local municipalities for road repair and other costs associated with gas drilling.

In addition, a state Farm Bureau staff member encouraged the 25 Bradford-Sullivan Farm Bureau members at the meeting to write letters to Sens. Robert Casey Jr. and Arlen Specter, urging them to block pending cap-and-trade legislation. The legislation would combat global warming.

Also, at the meeting, Stacee Bellows, legislative assistant to state Sen. Gene Yaw, provided an update on legislation that Yaw has sponsored related to gas drilling and the Clean and Green program.

Policies

At the meeting, which was held Thursday at the Wysox Fire Hall, the members of the local Farm Bureau passed resolutions calling on the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to adopt six policies at its annual meeting in Hershey on Nov. 16-18.

If the policies are adopted by the state Farm Bureau, lobbyists for the Farm Bureau will seek to have the Legislature and governor implement the policies through legislation and new state regulations, said Barbara Warburton, president of the Bradford-Sullivan Farm Bureau.

One policy recommended by the local Farm Bureau is that if the state Legislature considers a severance tax on natural gas, it should not exceed 3 percent of the gross revenues and 70 percent of the tax revenue should be returned to the local governments in which the natural gas is extracted.

"There will be a severance tax," Jim Gore, a member of the local Farm Bureau's Policy Development Committee said, explaining why the policy is needed. "We better get our foot in the door if we want to see any of this money. All of the drilling and everything goes on here, so townships and boroughs ought to get some money up front."

"To repair the roads," added a member of the Farm Bureau.

Another policy recommended by the Bradford-Farm Bureau aims to limit the effect People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal rights groups would have on legislation and regulations governing animal production agriculture, such as the housing of chickens and other animals, Gore said.

Specifically, the local Farm Bureau passed a resolution that states: "We recommend that animal health and welfare policies for animal production agriculture be based on scientific research."

"Today it is emotion that is driving (policy)," Gore said.