By Staff
Melissa Cason
Local farmer and cattleman Orland Britnell spoke to the Russellville Civitan Club this week about the benefits of belonging to the local cattleman's association and discussed why the association is so important to the state as a whole.
"Local people can make a difference in Montgomery and Washington," Britnell told the group. "They just have to band together in order to get things done."
Britnell, of Waco, is president of the Alabama Cattleman's Association.
He gave two examples of how he and the cattleman made a difference during legislative sessions.
The first example was raising the weight local farmers can haul if they are hauling for themselves. The second example he gave was the farm bill recently passed.
"If we hadn't lobbied for the passing of the farm bill, we would have gone back to the farm bill of 1949 and that would not have been good," he said.
Britnell has been a long-time member of the Cattleman's Association both locally and statewide.
"The Cattleman's Association is not just for farmers," he said. "Anyone can join and can be eligible for the benefits offered to cattlemen."
One example of the benefits offer is the discount program. Britnell said local businesses are offering cattlemen members a discount.
"The discount varies depending on the business," Britnell said. "This is a way of getting the money back out of our dues every year."
Local cattleman dues are $30 per year, and include several meals throughout the year for both the member and their family.