If we go out to Washington, I'm getting a hold of 50 people, and they are grain millers, and they depend on the farmer, but they are going out there on their own time and their own expenses. And if the farmer don't show up and get mad and raise hell out there, it's not going to do you any good. Getting mad in this room, is not going to do you any good. You're going to have to go to Washington and be mad there. Dairy farmers say they will have to find someone to milk their cows and others say they have other meetings to attend.
Officials say response has been good at other meetings.
There are a dozen religious, labor and Ag organizations backing the effort. Toby Pearson is the Director of Social Concerns for the Minnesota Catholic Conference. He says historically, the Catholic Church has always been interested in economic issues because the values people gain working as family farmers, help promote prosperity for rural communities. Not that we are about legislating morality, but we are concerned about the morality of legislation. He agrees that a broad-based representation from businesses, schools and churches, will make a difference.