Evening star., 1954-01-09
Farm Bureau
Faces Long LIST
OF Resolutions
Maryland Group
To Act in Closing
Sessions Today
By james BirchfieId
Star Ssnff corrasnandanf Z

SvoV SSuIr ~oFfesPonoent
BALTIMORE, Jan. 9.-Mary-
land Farm Bureau members were
asked today to approve a long
list Of resolutions calling for i'm
provements to agriculture in the
Free State.
At the closing session of the
farm groups 38th annual con-
vention. members are expected
to request the State Legislature
to remove the sales tax on GER
tain commodities the farmer
must purchase and to amend
the present tax assessment law.
The group also is expected to
go on record opposing any in
creases in telephone rates until
more adequate rural telephone
service is instituted. and urging
that the States 12-year high
way improvement plap give en-
phaSis to farm -to-matket roads
for the farmer.
IaXe0 items Clted.
Referring to the State sales
tax, the group pointed out that
efficient and economic agricul-
tural production depends on the
use of insecticides, fungicides.
baler ties and marketing con-
tainers.
1--WE recommend" the bureau
said, that the sales tax be re-
moved from these agricultural
commodities and urge that every
county support this measure in
the Maryland Assembly in 1884"
The bureau said the present
five-year rotational tax reas-
sessment plan. is not practical
and will not guarantee equal
tax burdens on properties of
like value for the duration of
the rotation period or over q
longer time.
Amendments Recommended.
1t was recommended that the
law be amended to:
l. Make it unnecessary to
view property every time a re-
assessment is carried out, and
2. Make it possible to- have
all property assessment values
determined annually, to the end
that each property bears it's
equal share of the property tax
aacn year.
1t was recommended that land
in rural-urban fringe areas be
assessed on the basis of actual
land use. and that farm land
in these areas be so assessed
until its use actually changes.
In its resolutions, the group
stressed the need for adequate
telephone service in the business
OF farming and declared that
unlimited demands from the
rapid development of industry
and housing have delayed the
improvement of rural telephone
facilities.
See Deteriorated Service.
Telephone service in many
rural communities has deterio-
rated and become less efficient
than in years past because of
overload circuits and out-moded
equipment" it was stated.
Requests for increases in
rates before satisfactory service
can be assured is unrealistic and
should not be granted"
The bureau recommended
adequate financial support for
the University of Maryland as a
growing investment for the
State" and urged that the uni
versity's College of Agriculture
expand its programs in farm
management and agricultural
engineering to assist producers
improve farm efficiency.
The bureau recommended more
adequate library facilities at the
university and urged that a mod
ern research laboratory for the
dairy and animal sciences be
provided.
j. Homer Remsberg, Frederick
County dairy farmer, was hon.
ored last night at the organiza-
tion's annual banquet. Mr..
Remsberg, who is president of
the Maryland and Virginia Milk
Producers Association, received
the Progressive Farmers man
of-the-year" award for his serv-
ice to Maryland agriculture.