Roberts vows to be a champion for agriculture By Donna Sullivan, Editor said. He said that crop insur- said. As to the amount of “Business as usual is not ance will be easier to defend control Congress has if a business as usual today,” because people understand federal judge sides with the Sen. Pat Roberts stated in the concept of insurance, EPA on any given issue, he his opening remarks at the but doesn’t expect that to be responded, “Congress can Kansas Commodity Classic the case with direct pay- take their money away. That last Tuesday. “I have never ments, which could face gets their attention. The seen a Congress that places more opposition. biggest priority has to be to so little value on agricul- The subject of ARS re- roll back all these regula- ture.” Roberts is the ranking search funding was also tions. It’s absolute mad- minority member of the covered. Roberts indicated ness.” Senate Ag Committee. that it wasn’t funded at a “Following the 2008 Roberts was joined by re- level he thought it should be elections, my prediction or tired Rep. Larry Combest of in the president’s budget. warning was that the thing Texas. “Kansas is the envy Pointing out a projected we would probably be talk- of a whole lot of people in population of 9.3 billion in ing more about is environ- production agriculture,” the next several decades, he mental policy rather than Combest told the produc- posed the question, “How farm policy,” Combest said. ers who had gathered in will we feed them unless we Roberts spoke again after Great Bend for the event. double production? This the luncheon and reiterated “There are less and less isn’t just a policy issue,” he his vow to keep agriculture people that care and have said. “It’s a moral issue if front and center. “People an understanding of pro- you want the U.S. to feed and experience do make a duction agriculture,” he ourselves as well as a difference,” he said. “I will continued. “Thank God for troubled, hungry world.” He need your advice and coun- people like Pat Roberts and acknowledged that ag re- sel more than ever.” Jerry Moran.” search may experience He spoke of introducing “There will be more some setbacks, but has faith the Regulatory Responsibil- scrutiny imposed on this in the land grant universities ity for Our Economy Act Congress than probably in to continue the important which codified the presi- our history, both by voters work. dent’s executive order that and the media,” Combest The president’s budget forces agencies and the said. “And not all decisions and the bill that passed the Office of Management and Sen. Pat Roberts addressed the audience at the Kansas Commodity Classic on will be made on what’s House last week will never Budget to perform a cost- good, as Pat and I used to topics including the new Farm Bill, crop insurance and EPA regulations. become law as it is,” Com- benefit analysis and re- make them, but made on best added. “At the end of move loopholes from regu- what will help them get re- cess,” describing how con- has already taken their share he and Debbie Stabenow, the day, it may be less, but lations. elected.” sumers don’t have to give of hits. “You can’t balance the Democratic senator there will still be money for “To the contrary of some According to Combest, much thought to the safety the budget on the back of from Michigan and chair- research.” in Washington, you will not one-quarter of 1% of the of their food on a daily farmers,” he emphasized. woman of the Senate Ag Over-reaching regula- hear a misinformed criti- budget is spent on non-nu- basis, and only do so when Following their opening Committee, are working to- tions by the EPA were also cism of agriculture from trition farm programs and there is a food crisis such as remarks Roberts and Com- gether to do what they can addressed. “Debbie and I me,” Roberts promised. U.S. farm policy costs each the tainted spinach a couple best fielded questions from to provide a safety net for want to sit down with Lisa “Agriculture will not be a person just 2.3¢ per meal. of years ago. the audience, the first of farmers. “Stabenow’s provi- Jackson and do away with dirty word, a four-letter He said that agriculture is a As budget cuts come, he which involved crop insur- sions add specialty crops, so the more egregious things word on my watch. I will be “victim of our own suc- points out that agriculture ance. Roberts indicated that everybody is included,” he they’re doing,” Roberts your champion.” Lawmakers question proposed meatpacking reforms (AP) — An effort by the The reforms, which Committee head, said he has Many farmers and ranch- dollars in industrial barns or poultry companies compen- Obama administration to would redraw the balance of questions about the rules ers have long complained face the loss of their con- sate the farmers. overhaul antitrust rules for power between meat com- proposed by the U.S. De- about their lack of power. tracts. They say taking on Ranchers also complain the meatpacking industry panies and the farmers and partment of Agriculture and Chicken farmers, for ex- such debt makes it hard for there are so few meatpack- with the toughest regula- ranchers who raise animals added that the agency will ample, say poultry compa- them to make money. ers buying cattle that the tions since the Packers and for them, have been one of have to work hard to change nies force them to invest That would be banned Stockyards Act was passed the administration’s signa- the minds of skeptical mem- hundreds of thousands of under the new law unless Continued on page 6 90 years ago has run into ture efforts in addressing the bers on the panel and others skepticism from Republi- growing concentration of interested in the issue. cans. corporate power in agricul- “The primary concern, ture. The new rules have and this is reflected in the faced resistance since they conversations I have with were proposed in June, but both my colleagues and with Republicans in control constituents, is about the po- of the House of Representa- tential adverse impact on tives after the November producers,” Lucas said in an election, critics of the over- e-mail after a spokeswoman haul have powerful new al- said he would not be able to lies, including the new discuss the issue on the chairman of the House Agri- phone. culture Committee. A U.S. Department of The proposed changes Agriculture spokesman said would in part make it easier officials weren’t available to for farmers and ranchers to comment on the proposed sue companies on antitrust rules. Agriculture Secretary grounds. To win a lawsuit Tom Vilsack has said the re- now, they have to prove a forms could help stimulate company’s actions harmed rural economies where just competition in the entire in- a few companies dominate dustry. Under the new rule, livestock production, and farmers and ranchers would his department has been need to prove only that they working with the Justice were personally harmed. Department on an investiga- This old barn has fallen since this photo was taken, having given in to the ravages Rep. Frank Lucas, R- tion of antitrust violations in of time and the elements. It was located in Hayes Township in Clay County, on 23rd Okla., the new Agriculture the industry. Road near Quail Road. Photo by Michelle Tessaro Page 2 Grass & Grain, March 1, 2011 decades. Few — if any food prices (which actu- — articles were written ally equate to about about “farm riots” when one- to three percent in- costs for fuel, fertilizer, creases of total house- land, equipment, seed hold earnings, since and other inputs rose food expenditures now steeply. We simply represent between 10- buckled down, made and 20% of income), let appropriate decisions us reinforce that food pertinent to produc- price increases since By Matt Perrier, tion, and the supply/ tion levels, and as- 2006 are the first signif- Eureka demand curve indicates sumed the risks of our icant increases since The mainstream one thing: higher agri- occupation. the 1980’s. During that press has been giving culture commodity Now, this is not a 30 year span, farmers’ significant amounts of prices. time to become flippant costs of production attention to agriculture Yes, we hear of food of others’ struggles. have skyrocketed. lately. Unfortunately, it riots and uprisings Farmers and ranchers And most of all let us has not always been globally, but most of the have always been a recall the following: positive. With increas- news items that I have compassionate bunch, None of us like to think ing global population read recently focus on and we need not change of price increases, but it and improving econo- domestic prices for food that character. But as is a small price to pay to mies in many regions of at retail — here in the we hear from con- maintain our food pro- the world, demand for U.S., where we have sumers about 10- and duction infrastructure U.S.-produced food is spent roughly 10% of 15 percent increases in in the U.S. Over the on the uptick. Plus dry, our annual income on variable La Nina weath- food for decades! Esti- er patterns have driven mates vary depending Middle East crisis will global production esti- on levels of income, but mates and grain stocks Americans’ expendi- affect U.S.