February 18, 2000

Speaking for the first time in his official capacity to members of the Texas Farm Bureau as their new leader at the Leadership Conference, Tuesday, TFB President Donald Patman recapped his recent testimony before the National Drought Commission, calling for a number of measures to assist Texas agricultural producers.

He also touched on several policies adopted at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in January and highlighted the state organization’s legislative agenda.

"We will redouble our efforts to eliminate federal estate taxes. It was Farm Bureau that first called this unfair tax ‘The Death Tax,’ "said Patman, calling it double taxation and an obstacle to passing farms and ranches from one generation to the next.

"It also places lands which have valuable natural resources and wildlife habitat in serious jeopardy," he continued. "We hope this will be the year that we can eliminate the death tax, once and for all."

The Ellis County grain and livestock producer said TFB looks forward to working this year with the interim committee that Speaker Pete Laney will appoint to work on House Bill 2—the new law directing the establishment of a state agricultural policy.

Patman also pledged to effect change in the philosophical direction of state laws, rules and regulations that affect the farm and ranch community.