Did you know the Kentucky Farm Bureau promotes policies of clear discrimination?

For years, the company has held stances that are:

• Anti-LGBTQ
• Anti-Teacher
• Anti-Union
• Anti-Choice
• Anti-POC
• Pro-Death Penalty

They promote these policies on behalf of their 478,000 “Farm Bureau member families.” Most recently, they added an anti-transgender policy that targets students in Kentucky schools.

Each year, Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance customers automatically pay a fee that enrolls them as members of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, the company’s 501(c)4 lobbying arm. Last year, they spent nearly $100,000 lobbying the Kentucky General Assembly. Elected officials receive copies of the company’s policy book, which details the organization’s discriminatory stances, but paying customers do not.

A full copy of the 2018 Kentucky Farm Bureau Policies Book can be downloaded by clicking here. Below is a list of some of them opposed by the Fairness Campaign, ACLU of Kentucky, Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA), and Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice (LSURJ).

TAKE ACTION!

Contact your county Kentucky Farm Bureau office to ask them why they promote these policies and how they can be changed!

Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation 2018 Policies & Page Numbers:

• The institution of marriage should only be recognized as the legal union of a man and a woman. (p.13)
• We are opposed to any state-supported agency providing benefits to “domestic” partners. (p.14)
• We strongly believe in the value of all individuals both born and unborn. (p.14)
• We strongly oppose teacher strikes. We oppose legislation that mandates collective bargaining for public school employees. (p.64)
• Alternative lifestyles should not be taught in public schools. (p.64)
• We support the enactment of right-to-work legislation. (p.79)
• We oppose an increase in the minimum hourly wage. (p.79)
• We recommend the federal prevailing wage law be repealed when dealing with government contracts. (p.79)
• We strongly oppose any mandate that would require any government entities to recognize and collectively bargain with employee unions. (p.80)
• Furthermore, we oppose public employees being permitted to strike, organize work stoppage or slow-downs. (p.80)
• We oppose unionization of farmers and farm laborers. (p.80)
• We support the idea that those who receive SSI, food stamps, housing, or other government welfare payments should have to submit to random drug testing. (p.80)
• We support capital punishment. (p.93)
• We oppose any government mandate that forces school districts to provide transgender bathrooms. (p.96)

Meet Freda Fairness at the KY State Fair!

Fridays & Saturdays at the KY State Fair Noon-2 p.m.
Thursday, August 23 on KY Farm Bureau Day, Noon-2 p.m.
Freda will be located at the Fairness Campaign Booth
South Wing C near Column C-6–Click here for Maps

Hi!

I’m Freda Fairness, Freddy Farm Bureau‘s cousin! You probably know Freddy from years of him sittin’ at the entrance of the Kentucky State Fair greetin’ folks like you and me. He’s nice enough, but I had no idea the company he works for, Kentucky Farm Bureau, marginalizes and discriminates against people like me. Just read their policy booklet!

I hope you’ll join me in asking, #WhyFreddy?

Follow me on social media–@FredaFairness & Freda–so we can spread the word about Freddy and the Farm Bureau. Also, don’t forget to contact your local Kentucky Farm Bureau office–whether you’re a member or not! Ask them why these policies exist and how you can change them!

Thanks!

Freda is a social justice collaboration with Squallis Puppeteers