Spade & Spoon: Localizing the Way Westerners Eat
Pick your Ticket: How the Presidential Candidates View Agriculture
By Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel, 2-05-08
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| Photo by Courtney Lowery. | |
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Just a few months ago when Iowa was on the mind of every presidential contender, agriculture was a well-discussed issue (especially ethanol). But it seems like an eternity since the presidential candidates left Iowa and the cornfields that dictated much of their talk. Since then, candidates have mostly left agriculture off the campaign trail, and only a few have posted their stance on agriculture on their websites.
As much of the Rocky Mountain West heads into Super Tuesday, here is some of what the current front-runners think about agriculture. (In alphabetical order.)
Hillary Clinton
While in Iowa, Clinton said, “I understand the challenges that farmers and their families face in Iowa. But I also know that with the right policies in place, our nation’s farms can thrive and can help America solve pressing problems, like providing a safe and healthy food supply, producing renewable energy, and creating vibrant rural communities and jobs…As President, I will continue to promote an agenda that will help small farmers remain competitive in the face of a growing threat by corporate agriculture.”
Clinton would limit subsidy payments to $250,000 and close loopholes that “disproportionately benefit wealthy corporate farmers...” She would implement Country of Origin Labeling and tighten controls on CAFOs by supporting federal rules to control air and water pollution from those farms. She would also expand resources for those wanting to farm organically through transition assistance and marketing programs, and would help new farmers with loan forgiveness for those who “gain higher education in agriculture or business management.”
As a Senator, Clinton created the Farm to Fork Program, linking growers with processors and eaters. According to Clinton, this has improved the market and access to locally-produced food. These partnerships have led to large food distributors like Sodexho to link with local farmers and restaurants that wanted to buy their produce.
Mike Huckabee
Just last week in Florida, Huckabee stood among the Florida Orange Groves and told the crowd, “If you can’t feed yourself, you’re not free. You’ve got to be able to put food on the table.’’ On his website, Huckabee goes further and says that “We must be able to feed ourselves as part of our national security.” What policies he will implement will likely stem from this philosophical stance. He states he would protect subsidies in order to insulate farmers from competition in Asia and Europe and in order to keep food prices low for Americans. He would fully fund the crop insurance program and encourage young people to farm. Huckabee also views the farmer as a way to secure our energy supply. He would encourage the growth of cellulose-based ethanol from, and the production of bio-fuels and bio-diesel from sources like fat from processing plants.
John McCain
McCain’s website does not reveal much about his policies as no one section is devoted to it. But in July of 2007, McCain formed an agricultural advisory team, including Ralph Klemme, the former Chairman of the Iowa House Agriculture Committee who noted that McCain was the right choice because, “We need a president who understands that pet projects benefiting only a few are harmful to the farming and agriculture industry as a whole.”
Senator John McCain believes that, “Farming and agriculture production is part of the backbone of our great country. As president, I will support addressing the larger needs of the farming community abiding by the same standards of common sense and fiscal restraint as demonstrated by our nation’s hardworking families.”
McCain’s campaign had not returned my request for more information on specific agricultural policies by Monday morning.
Barack Obama
During an October speech in Iowa, Obama said, “If Washington continues policies that work against America’s family farmers, our rural communities will fall further behind — and so will America. But if we reject the politics that has shut ordinary folks out, we can create a new story for rural America...”
To change these policies, Obama’s website states that he will implement a $250,000 payment limitation for subsidies, “so that we help family farmers — not large corporate agribusiness,” and will close the loopholes that currently allow mega-farms to get around limits. (Some of these larger corporate farms will subdivide their operations into multiple businesses.) He will implement a meatpacker ban, meaning that meatpackers will not be able to own livestock, and promises to regulate CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) with tougher standards, fines and local control. He supports the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law and would establish a new program to identify and train the next generation of farmers and then provide them with tax incentives.
Obama also intends to reform crop insurance so that it doesn’t penalize organic farmers and would promote regional food systems. He would increase funding for the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program in order to help farmers afford the costs of meeting organic certification standards.
Ron Paul
Most of Ron Paul’s views on agriculture can be found on YouTube where there are recordings of a speech he has made to organizations like Farm Food. He would prefer to let farmers deal with their own problems and for government to get out of the way.
He also has the backing of an organization called “Farmers for Ron Paul.” According to that group, Paul will help farmers because he won’t support imminent domain. The former farm boy who grew up outside of Pittsburg will also, “stop special interests from violating property rights and literally driving families from their homes, farms and ranches.
Mitt Romney
On a recent trip to Florida, Romney talked about agriculture in that state and the increasing importance of biofuels as an agricultural industry. Beyond this, Romney’s campaign staff have said, “Governor Romney believes that investing in agriculture is key to our economy and families. America’s farmers not only provide food for the dinner table, but they will play a critical role in lessening our reliance on foreign sources of oil.”
The competition has had a bit more to say about his view of agriculture, and criticized comments he made in 1994 that the USDA should be eliminated.
But like McCain, his website does not detail how he would support agriculture in this country and Romney’s campaign did not respond to my request for more information by Monday morning.
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Comments
All three should explain their 'NV' to America's farmers and ranchers.
It is sad--and very probably quite shortsighted--that most Americans do not yearn for a future in agricultural husbandry.
Unfortunately--as has become the case with most industries--it has become customary to exploit the earth in the most wasteful manner; and then to maximize its value by reducing it into its most profitable parts...
You also appear to assume that all those who are here illegally are involved in food production. That is also false. Just step onto a construction site in the southwest. Much of the labor is illegal, again working for lower wages than the job deserves, driving down wages for all and filling jobs that should go to those who are here legally and small business owners/contractors.
Research the make-up of of Los Angeles' gangs, you will find that some of them are entirely illegals who are not working at all. Many of them criminals in their home country. Do they get citizenship too?
A strong guest worker program for those who respect the rule of law is very important as are decent wages for those who do labor based jobs. It should be readily available for hard working decent people. Amnesty for those who think they can sneak past it is a mistake. Why is it that people from other countries should be allowed to decide what is and what is not a felony verses respecting our laws? Try to do that in any other country.
Find and read a very interesting article titled "Real issues in immigration debate" by Glynn Custred who is a professor at Cal State East Bay. It is a very thoughtful, eye-opening look at the issue.