Most Arkansas Rice Farmers Opposed to Doubling Tax Assessment
03/06/09 02:27 PM Filed in: Legislative
LITTLE
ROCK, AR — Legislation pending in committee in the
Arkansas Senate would not only double the rice
assessment from 1.35 cents per bushel to 2.7 cents
and eliminate the buyer assessment, but it would also
shift authority for allocating rice promotion funds
from the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board
and the Arkansas Rice Council to a Texas-based trade
association, an Arkansas Rice Federation news release
says today.
“That’s a triple whammy against Arkansas rice growers,” said Ben Noble, director of the Arkansas Rice Federation. “Arkansas farmers know best how to manage their own check-off funds,” said Noble, whose family has been growing rice in the state for generations, “and that is something we should not leave to outsiders.”
“The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 349 (SB 349), was conceived in secrecy by a minority of Arkansas rice farmers without first vetting it through the state’s principal rice organizations: the Arkansas Rice Council and the Arkansas Rice Producers’ Group — both members of the Arkansas Rice Federation,” Noble said.
Click here to read the complete news release.
Contact: Ben Noble, Benjamin.Noble@troutmansanders.com, (501) 372-4122
“That’s a triple whammy against Arkansas rice growers,” said Ben Noble, director of the Arkansas Rice Federation. “Arkansas farmers know best how to manage their own check-off funds,” said Noble, whose family has been growing rice in the state for generations, “and that is something we should not leave to outsiders.”
“The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 349 (SB 349), was conceived in secrecy by a minority of Arkansas rice farmers without first vetting it through the state’s principal rice organizations: the Arkansas Rice Council and the Arkansas Rice Producers’ Group — both members of the Arkansas Rice Federation,” Noble said.
Click here to read the complete news release.
Contact: Ben Noble, Benjamin.Noble@troutmansanders.com, (501) 372-4122
