Adopted Resolutions for a Stronger America

The National Grange is the nation’s oldest national agricultural organization, with grassroots units established in 3,600 local communities in 37 states. Its 300,000 members provide service to agriculture and rural areas on a wide variety of issues, including economic development, education, family endeavors, and legislation designed to assure a strong and viable Rural America. It was formed in the years following the American

Civil War to unite private citizens in improving the economic and social position of the nation’s farm population. Over the past 137 years, it has evolved to include non-farm rural families and communities.

The Grange is also a fraternal order known as the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, hence the “P of H” on the organization’s logo. Founding members determined that a fraternal organization would be best able to combine loyalty and democratic ideals to provide service to others. The National Grange was one of the first formal groups to admit women to membership on the basis of equality with men. It remains so today.

The 11-story landmark National Grange headquarters building in Washington, D.C. was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 29, 1960, and is the only private edifice in a federal block across from the White House. It serves as a non-governmental headquarters for agricultural and rural families. A professional staff administers policies established annually by democratic Grange processes at local, county, and state levels.

National Grange Headquarters Building • 1616 H St. NW • Washington, DC 20006. Built in 1957 – The original headquarters was located on Lafayette Park.

Each year, a listing of more than 1,400 issues of concern is published and distributed by the National Grange.

Grange Resolution
Subject: H. J. Res. 27- To Withdraw the United States From the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement.
Whereas: The World Trade Organization (WTO) was approved by the United States Congress and our U.S. President in the year 1995, which illegally ceded part of our sovereignty as a Nation to this organization. The (WTO) panel consists of a 148 nation global body, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Whereas: During the month of September, 2004, a three-member (WTO) panel ruled that a number of U.S. Government assistance programs for the farmers in the cotton industry are prohibited export subsidies, that has caused significant suppression of world cotton prices during the years 1999 through 2002, which has lead to a levy of punitive fines and taxes against the U.S.A. These rulings are enforced by the (WTO) through trade sanctions against the U.S.A.
Whereas: The United States still has some tariffs in place that protect the U.S. steel companies and some other industries. Because of these tariffs, the (WTO) made a ruling November 26, 2004, that the U.S. must pay punitive taxes until Congress repeals these tariff laws.
Whereas: The United States Constitution does not allow U.S. policies to be decided by an international bureaucracy which requires that our central government manage free trade according to the dictates of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Whereas: The United States Constitution assigns to Congress all powers of regulating commerce with foreign nations plus imposing taxes and tariffs. There is no provision in the United States Constitution that allows Congress to delegate this power to any other element of our federal government nor to a foreign multilateral bureaucracy such as the (WTO).
Whereas: The American colonists fought a war with England rather than allow a distant parliament to claim power to impose taxes, etc. on us without our consent. The (WTO) an emerging global trade regime is imposing punitive taxes against the United States without the consent of the American people.
Therefore be it resolved: That the Oregon State Grange, in order to save the sovereignty of the United States and our economic destiny, requests that the United States Congress support the passage of H.J. Res. 27, which will withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization.