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  • From: "Lynn Wigglesworth" <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Homestead] Fw: Looking for "Change" in the Department of Agriculture
  • Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:14:41 -0500

Looking for "Change" in the Department of AgricultureGot this in my email. I
wrote about my 'vision' of a country where small farms were supported by the
government (no NAIS or draconian USDA regulations). I encouraged
President-elect Obama to support local small farms.

Lynn Wigglesworth
--------------------

Dear PASA members,

I know from reading our listservs that many of our members are very
interested in what's going on in our nation's capitol, particularly regarding
President-elect Obama's choices for his cabinet and other administrative
posts. Let's keep this discussion going, and also keep sharing perspectives
with decision makers in Washington whenever possible. You can send
President-elect Obama a personal note at:
http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourvision
Or, contact his Transition Team at: http://change.gov/page/s/contact

You may be interested to know that last week I had an opportunity to speak
directly by phone with members of the president-elect's Transition Team and
encouraged them to make sure sustainable agriculture is supported by the next
administration. I am also glad to share with you an editorial published today
by another participant in that call, and a good friend of PASA's, Chuck
Hassebrook of the Center for Rural Affairs in Nebraska. His piece is below.

Could it be that a new era has begun for agriculture in America? Let's hope
so!

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Brian Snyder, Executive Director

Guest column: Obama needs ag secretary committed to new vision
CHUCK HASSEBROOK is executive director of the Center for Rural Affairs.
Lyons, Neb. Contact: chuckh AT cfra.org. . November 25, 2008

Barack Obama launched his campaign in Iowa with a promise to change farm and
rural policy to create genuine opportunity for rural people and a better
future for their communities. It was the best rural platform and best vision
for changing farm and rural policy that I have seen in 30 years as a rural
advocate.

Now President-elect Obama must appoint a secretary of agriculture who
embraces that change, or it will fall victim to the politics of Washington.
Nothing better illustrates the broken politics of Washington than farm and
rural policy. The federal government spends billions subsidizing mega farms
to drive smaller farms off the land and often penalizes the best
environmental stewards with lower payments. It largely fails to invest in the
future of America's rural communities.

For example, in 2005 the Department of Agriculture spent nearly twice as much
to subsidize the 260 biggest farms across 13 leading farm states than on
rural development initiatives to create economic opportunity for the 3
million people living in those states' 260 most struggling rural counties.
That does not help family farms or small-town Americans. It does not serve
the common good.

The platform released by Barack Obama 13 months ago in Linn County, Iowa,
went right to the heart of the problem. He proposed refocusing federal policy
on creating opportunity for family farms by capping payments to mega farms
and enforcing rules against unfair pricing practices by meat packers. To
revitalize rural communities, he proposed investing in small business,
microenterprise development and value-added agriculture, including local
foods and sustainable agriculture.

He proposed increased production of biofuels and wind energy. And he pledged
unprecedented support for protecting our land and water through the
Conservation Stewardship Program, which rewards farmers for good practices.

These are not easy reforms. Investments in rural development and
environmental stewardship run head-on into demands for new spending by big
farm and commodity interests.

The last farm bill is a case in point. Efforts by Iowa Sens. Tom Harkin and
Chuck Grassley to cap payments to mega farms and invest in conservation and
rural development were overwhelmed by a coalition of Democrats and
Republicans, from the Midwest as well as the South. And in spite of support
for such measures by an overwhelming majority of farmers, they were
undermined by a combination of Democratic- and Republican-leaning farm
organizations as well as every affected commodity organization.

Obama's administration must be determined and unified to overcome the inertia
and cynicism of farm and rural politics. The commitment of the president is
the most critical element, but the commitment of his secretary of agriculture
is almost as important.

Secretaries define the agenda and shape how the president uses his influence.
They make important but less visible day-to-day decisions on rules and
regulations that determine who benefits from USDA programs and the behavior
they support. Obama cannot achieve the change to which he committed with a
secretary of agriculture committed to the status quo.

Nevertheless, many of the engineers of Washington's failed rural policies are
near the front of the line of job seekers for the highest positions in the
Department of Agriculture. Our president's first challenge in farm and rural
policy is separating the wheat from the chaff.

He should start with one simple test for those who want to be secretary of
agriculture. Have they worked for the rural agenda on which he campaigned and
are they committed to advancing it when he takes office in January?
>From erthnsky AT bellsouth.net Tue Nov 25 18:48:53 2008
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Subject: Re: [Homestead] Fw: Looking for "Change" in the Department
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Lynn Wigglesworth wrote:
> Looking for "Change" in the Department of AgricultureGot this in my
> email. I wrote about my 'vision' of a country where small farms were
> supported by the government (no NAIS or draconian USDA regulations).
> I encouraged President-elect Obama to support local small farms.
>
> Lynn Wigglesworth --------------------
>
> Dear PASA members,
>
> I know from reading our listservs that many of our members are very
> interested in what's going on in our nation's capitol, particularly
> regarding President-elect Obama's choices for his cabinet and other
> administrative posts. Let's keep this discussion going, and also
> keep sharing perspectives with decision makers in Washington whenever
> possible. You can send President-elect Obama a personal note at:
> http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourvision Or, contact his Transition
> Team at: http://change.gov/page/s/contact


Thanks Lynn. I wrote to tell them no NAIS or anything similar.

B
--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda
http://www.myspace.com/tervetuloa13



  • [Homestead] Fw: Looking for "Change" in the Department of Agriculture, Lynn Wigglesworth, 11/25/2008

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