Here is a pretty good story by a young man who writes for the same paper that I do. He did a nice job trying to find a balance between what was being said last week about this nefarious little sneak attack on farming and the "oh, no we never said that" crowd that is scurrying to retrench today. The folks he interviewed are good people and personal friends and acquaintances.
For a little background.... every farm publication you can think of raced into action around Thanksgiving because several Farm Bureaus put out alerts that the EPA was planning to tax cattle, hogs, corn and soybeans by way of placing regulatory fees on green house gas emissions. Carbon dioxide is expected to fall under that mantel and amazingly enough cows breathe. Exhale even. Farmers were up in arms. (I wrote about it here and in the Farm Side.)
As I understand it the outcry was tremendous and widespread.
Of course it was.
Such a fee or tax or whatever you want to call it would devastate the farm economy, which is already staggering under an insane commodity price roller coaster.
However, this week stories began to emerge wherein folks connected to various industries and to the EPA, said basically, "Who, us? We would never propose such a thing. We never did propose such a thing. Go home. Calm down. Don't worry. Trust us here in government to have your best interests at heart....it's okay now. We won't tax your cow emissions, never, never....ever."
To quote the title of an excellent blog across the river, Yeah Right!
And if you believe that I have this bridge in Brooklyn for sale (or maybe a Senate seat in Illinois). I am of the firm belief that the EPA had every intention of proposing such a rule and that they probably still do. However, when the trial balloon was so resoundingly shot down, they dragged themselves back to the drawing board to see how they could adulterate, and or hide, their agenda. At least thanks to the strong response by farmers and by Farm Bureau, they know someone is awake, aware and keeping an eye, or in fact several thousand eyes, on them. And that is as it should be.
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- threecollie
- Embracing agricultural diversity, one species at a time. All rights reserved
The heck with eyes wide open, we need to get out our binoculars and x-ray specs!
ReplyDeleteChalk up one for "farmers united" and thanks to the Farm Bureaus for using their voice -
ReplyDeleteTrust our gov't? Why don't they just ask us to stick out our right hand so they can cut it off....same concept in my book. I believe as you do - it's just a matter of time before a rewritten, reworded proposal sneaks in and rears it's ugly head again.
It's a nice feeling to be part of an outcry that slows them down. I felt the same way when the House voted down the first Wall Street bailout ... but we all know how that turned out. You're right to keep your guard up. (Thanks for the link.)
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVE the story's headline! Who would have thought the paper would be that daring?
ReplyDeleteTrust us, we're from the government.
ReplyDeleteheehee
I admit I never heard of a cow tax, but don't we humans also exhale carbon dioxide? Man, I hope the government does'nt start taxing us for breathing...
ReplyDeleteYeah, as Ronald Reagan said "The scariest 11 words to hear."
ReplyDeleteWe are from the government, and we are here to help.
Or something to that effect.
JW
I was talking to a guy at breakfast at the motel today when this subject came up. He actually told me I'd have nothing to worry about because the credits from my pasture would offset the cow emissions.
ReplyDeletePlus, my dad is tougher than yours, Santa Claus could whip the Tooth Fairy, and oh, well - I just can't live in dreamland like some.
hmm. they'll just be sneakier next time. it'll be on a rider on some bill we'd usually never care about like "mandantory annual waxing of our yahts" or something.
ReplyDeleteWW, the more I read the more I worry. I think this whole thing is a smoke screen to sneak in some kind of cap and trade program that will supposedly benefit farmers, but will in the end make big bucks for somebody else and do nothing tangible for the environment
ReplyDeleteDeb, I was glad to see it. Although this was released in July no one initially interpreted it as being a danger to farming. As soon as someone did, within a few days the reaction was incredible.
akagaga, your title just seemed perfect for my reaction to all the reassurances that we were all wrong and they intended us no harm. And on the headlines. Sometimes they do some great ones. My boss does the ones for the Farm Side and most weeks I can't wait to get the paper and see what he came up with
FC, of course!
ED, shhhhhh, don't give them any ideas. lol
Anon, good quote...fits perfectly!
Jeffro, yeah, I am not confident that offsets will work in our favor..or really that they will work in anybody's favor, except that of some middle man or the government.
Ericka, you betcha! I think you are exactly right. Somebody wanted this, but they didn't want it in the face of the public uproar that has just ensued. I first heard about it from Sarpy Sam. I wrote about it here and in the Farm Side. Farm Bureau here put out an alert. Another local paper picked it up. Then the TV news. Now our area representatives and our Senator in Washington (not hillary the other one) are up in arms. Talk about a groundswell of angry reactions. I don't think they were ready for it.