Talking about...Immigration reform, Ethanol, Horse slaughter, Food safety

“From a legislative point, both on the state and national level, we have to put forth practical and pragmatic approaches in dealing with this issue (immigration). To do nothing, especially in the agricultural area, that needs a lot of seasonal workers, is going to create a great deal of harm to this industry. In some cases, because of the shortage of seasonal workers for perishable fruits and vegetable crops, U.S. growers are now buying land in Mexico to raise crops once grown in the U.S. but now imported from aboard. If you clamp down, saying this way or no way and more and more of our food is being produced in a foreign country, I don't think that is what Americans want, either.”
(Source: The Grand Island Independent, January 8, 2008)
Rob Robertson, Nebraska Farm Bureau, worrying about the effects of the proposed immigration bill on that state’s agriculture and food businesses.
>PS: Cheap labor=cheap food. Can’t have one without the other.

"If it wasn't for government subsidies, that (ethanol) industry wouldn't work. It's been strongly driven by a political agenda."
(Source: The London [ON] Free Press, January 11, 2008)
Ron Bennett, Ontario feedlot operator, says he's losing at least $300 on each steer sold, with much of the pain coming from near-record corn prices.
>PS: Grass is looking ‘greener’ all the time.

POINT:
“It’s a step closer to the long-term goal of banning slaughter in North America.”(Source: New York Times, January 11, 2008)
Wayne Pacelle, chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, expressing delight at the 'death' of the horse slaughter industry in the U.S.
>PS: And highlighting his real long-term agenda.
COUNTERPOINT:
“My worst nightmare has happened. This is an example of well-intentioned but very bad unintended consequences.”
(Source: New York Times, January 11, 2008)
Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University. responding to the same issue in the same story.
> PS: Temple’s concern was based on reports that workers in some Mexican plants disable horses by stabbing them with knives to sever their spinal cords.

“Now we have this whole new question mark about leafy produce and the whole ecological question out there as we grow our leafy greens in the same area where more and more intensively we are producing milk. Wisconsin used to be the biggest dairy state, and California was where we grew produce. Now California is both. And there's also wine production in California, so you have vineyards and cattle and lettuce patches competing for the same land and water. Agriculture is really sort of bumping into each other."
(Source: U.S> News & World Report, January 14, 2008)
Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the division of foodborne bacterial and mycotic diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pointing to the problem of over-crowded agriculture and the downturn in food safety.
>PS: And then there is the problem caused by vegans eating a ‘healthier’ raw foods diet consisting of veggies grown on the ground – in the dirt. We cook foods for a reason, folks.

“Inflation in the energy field is really doing more to push food prices higher”
(Source: Mason City, IA Globe Gazette, January 13, 2008)
Ron Litterer, Greene area farmer and National Corn Growers Association president isn’t “buying” the corn is driving inflation talk.
>PS: Ron, can we talk about the price of corn doubling to help feed an ethanol industry encouraged by a 51 cent/gallon government production subsidy? Ethanol is an energy source, Ron.

Talking about...Beef, Biofuels, NAIS, International Agriculture

“We know consumers aren't buying beef for the protein. They buy beef for the tender, juicy flavor compared to competing proteins.”
(Source: Farm and Ranch Guide, January 5, 2008)
Rob Maddock, NDSU professor of meat science, speaking at the North Dakota Stockmen's Association Feeder Council's Beyond the Bunk III, called beef a costly protein; as much as $12.27/pound more than soy protein.
>PS: Munching a handful of soybeans vs dining on a nice filet? Now there’s a no-brainer.

"We think a balance could be met. There are lots of opportunities for agriculture to participate [in the biofuels business] outside of corn alone. When Congress is stuck on just one trick pony, it hurts all of us."
(Source: Biofuels Journal, January 3, 2008)
Jesse Sevcik, vice president, legislative affairs, American Meat Institute, talking about the new energy law which expands the Renewable Fuel Standard to 9 billion gallons of ethanol in 2008, requiring about three billion bushels of corn.
>PS: Jesse, you may be working for a special interest group but you’re opinion is refreshingly non-partisan.

"I have voted to stop the mandatory National Animal Identification System because one of the effects of NAIS could eliminate the family farm and replace family farms with huge corporate farms.”
(Source: Suburban Journal, January 6, 2008)
Rep. Belinda Harris, D-Hillsboro, MO., House Appropriations Committee for Agriculture, talking about her opposition NAIS because she believes it will be an unbearable financial burden for small farms.
>PS: “Could?” Belinda, if you want to fight NAIS and its benefits, you’ll just have to be more committal than that.

Mitt Romney “would develop large-scale renewable energy — ethanol, biodiesel, solar, wind — and increase domestic fuel production, including drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore. Would promote research in energy storage, efficiency, other sources of clean energy.”
John Edwards “more investment in solar, wind and biomass technology; and "clean coal" and carbon storage. Opposes nuclear power and coal-to-liquid investment. Supports raising fuel economy standard to 40 miles per gallon by 2016, helping automakers retool factories, increasing ethanol production, and encouraging transit-oriented development and use of public transportation.”
John McCain “prefers "profit-motive, free-enterprise-system-driven green technologies. Supports use of cleaner coal technology if it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and includes carbon capture and storage. Backs higher vehicle fuel efficiency standards but sets no target. Supports alternative bio-fuels, but not subsidies for ethanol.”
(Source: Hartford Courant, January 6, 2008)
>PS: Several presidential candidates positioning themselves on the Ethanol/energy issue for Connecticut’s voters.
>PPS: Suggestion – find a way to harness all the excess hot air coming off these campaigns and you’ll solve the energy problem until the next election

“If China was becoming the world’s workshop and India its back office, Brazil is its farm — and potentially its center of environmental services.”
(Source: New York Times, January 6, 2008)
Michael Reid, in his new book about South America, “Forgotten Continent,” talking about the future direction of world agriculture.
>PS: Those crazy Brazilians are already busy cornering the world market on beef.