OCGA Board member, others testify on unpopular climate legislation
Ohio Corn Growers Association Board able to the agriculture community under a a capital-intensive endeavor. Not every
Member Fred Yoder testified June 11 before market based cap and trade system. The farmer lives in a region where wind tur-
the U.S. House of Representatives secretary also outlined the role USDA bines are an option, and not every farmer
Committee on Agriculture regarding cli- would have in a proposed cap and trade can take advantage of no-till cultivation,
mate legislation being considered by regime. According to the secretary, he envi- Stallman said. Yet these producers will
Congress. Yoder emphasized the important sions a partnership between EPA and incur the same increased fuel, fertilizer and
role agriculture can play in reducing green- USDA for implementation of any pro- energy costs as their counterparts.
house gas emissions. grams related to agriculture. He noted that “If the legislation approved by the
“In the near term, greenhouse gas USDA has a unique set of tools and Energy and Commerce Committee is not
reductions from livestock and agricultural expertise to offer. improved with regard to agricultural off-
conservation practices are the easiest and Stallman said Farm Bureau has serious sets, National Farmers Union will urge
most readily available means of reducing concerns with H.R. 2454. members of Congress to vote against the
greenhouse gas on a meaningful scale,” “Those concerns are extensive,” American Clean Energy and Security Act
Yoder said. “The U.S. Environmental Stallman testified. “They include not only of 2009,” said National Farmers Union
NCGA past president and Ohio corn grower Fred Yoder,
Protection Agency estimates that agricul- mitigating the impact of higher energy President Roger Johnson.
second from right, testifies about the important role
tural and forestry lands can sequester at costs but assuring that, whatever and how- “NFU policy supports a national,
agriculture plays in reducing greenhouse gases at a
Capitol Hill hearing June 11. AFBF President Bob
least 20% of all annual greenhouse gas ever possible, we maximize the role of mandatory carbon emission cap and trade
Stallman is on the far left.
emissions in the United States.” agricultural producers in any climate poli- system to reduce non-farm greenhouse gas
During his testimony, Yoder also men- cy, including maximizing the opportunities emissions if the U.S. Department of
National Pork Producers Council indicat-
tioned agricultural producers have the to reduce and sequester carbon.” Agriculture is granted control and admin-
ed its opposition to climate change legis-
potential to benefit from a properly struc- In his testimony, Stallman said any istration of the agriculture offset program,
lation, which it said will raise the cost of
tured cap and trade system through carbon climate change legislation passed by early actors are recognized, no artificial cap
pork production.
sequestration on agriculture land. But, he Congress must include “a strong, is placed on domestic offsets, carbon
“America’s pork producers are intense-
said current legislation does not include robust, statutorily authorized program sequestration rates are based upon science
ly concerned over any policy proposals
such benefits for growers. of agricultural offsets that are explicitly and producers are permitted to stack envi-
that will further raise the cost of produc-
“Show us something we can support included in legislative language.” ronmental benefit credits,” Johnson said.
tion,” NPPC said. “In particular, producers
and how we support it. Ohio farmers and Stallman also said the U.S. Department “Many Members of the House
fear the impact that H.R. 2454 will have on
farmers across the U.S. can’t support the of Agriculture must be given the pri- Agriculture Committee have serious
the cost of electricity, diesel fuel, grain,
legislation as it is currently written,” Yoder mary role in developing, administering concerns about how climate change leg-
propane, animal health products, fertilizer,
said. “If we support this now we’ll support and overseeing the offset program. islation being considered in Congress
chemicals, farm equipment and materials
high prices.” Farm Bureau remains “very concerned” will affect the people living in their dis-
such as steel and concrete that are neces-
Yoder and a panel that included about the broad, potential adverse impacts tricts,” said Agriculture Committee
sary for the continued operations of their
American Farm Bureau Federation of a cap-and-trade program on U.S. Chairman Collin Peterson. “This hear-
farms and well-being of their animals. 
President Bob Stallman and Secretary of agriculture, Stallman said. ing has helped us better understand
NPPC anticipates an increase in energy
Agriculture Tom Vilsack also urged “Even though some say agriculture will what is being proposed and what can be
and input costs of more than 20% under the
Congress to maintain an emissions cap benefit, that will depend to a great degree done to improve the legislation.”
proposed climate change legislation, and it
exemption for the agriculture sector as on where the producer is located, what he H.R. 2454, in its current form, is
doesn’t believe that revenues from the sale
the legislation, titled the American Clean or she grows, and how his or her business not popular among the agricultural
of greenhouse gas offset credits will balance
Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. model can take advantage of any provi- community.
that increase. In addition, the organization
2454), continues through the House sions in the legislation,” Stallman said. In a letter sent June 18 to Peterson and
is wary of the impact the legislation would
and Senate. For example, not every dairy farmer House Agriculture Committee Ranking
have on pork producers’ ability to compete
Vilsack discussed the possibilities avail- can afford to capture methane, because it is Member Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, the
fairly in world export markets.
OFU president calls for HSUS negotiated settlement
Ohio Farmers Union President Roger groups thereby promoting more tribution and animal management prac- • a ballot initiative would be extreme-
Wise has issued the following statement: humane treatment of livestock and an tices that abandon any similarity to natu- ly divisive with the potential of disrupt-
“Over the past several years, interest eventual phase-out of these confine- ral behavior. These practices do add to ing the relationship between farmers
groups such as The Humane Society of ment practices. Legislative compromis- the productivity and profitability of and consumers;
the United States (HSUS) have been es have also been used to mandate the large, industrial farms, but stretch the • in the end, the livestock industry is
challenging the use of certain animal phase-out of these animal management limits of public acceptance. likely to lose the fight.
handling practices in industrial live- techniques. Now it is Ohio’s turn to “As a general farm organization, we “Ohio Farmers Union is very adamant
stock facilities. Practices such as the use confront this issue.  understand and appreciate both the that a negotiated settlement is the best
of ‘gestation crates’ in swine produc- “The Ohio Farmers Union is a stead- sense of resentment felt by the livestock way to address this issue. We believe it is
tion, the use of ‘veal crates’ in veal pro- fast advocate for responsible farming in community and the sense of consumer in the best interest of all parties to openly
duction and ‘battery cages’ in poultry which a family manages their land base, outrage associated with these animal discuss the practicalities of these animal
production have been viewed as con- their cropping systems and their live- confinement practices. From observing management systems and agree on a
finement measures that are too stock as an integrated system. Industrial the debate unfold in other states, we plan that the livestock industry, con-
extreme. In several states, voters have farming has displaced this more natural have learned that: sumers and interest groups can accept.
weighed-in on the use of these prac- management system through practices • a statewide ballot initiative would This negotiation could then be used as
tices via statewide ballot initiatives, such as purchasing feed off-the-farm, be extremely expensive for everyone the basis of legislation, rather than a cost-
each time siding with the interest contracting for off-the-farm manure dis- involved; ly and acrimonious ballot initiative.”
Ohio renewable energy policy to be discussed July 7
Farmers, forestry managers, scientists, for no-till farming, and biofuel/renewable while continuing to produce safe, abun- energy policy.”
environmentalists, industry and govern- energy solutions. Joining the discussions dant and affordable food, feed and fiber. Speakers include National 25x’25
ment leaders will take the next collabora- will be a delegation of German farmers “The alliance is becoming a rallying cry Alliance Project Coordinator Ernie Shea,
tive step in creating renewable energy poli- sponsored by the German Embassy, the for renewable energy and a goal for and Rattan Lal, Randall Reeder and Matt
cy at the Ohio 25x’25 Alliance forum held Environmental Defense Fund, the Ecologic America,” said national 25x’25 Steering Roberts with Ohio State University’s
at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau Institute and the National 25x’25 Alliance. Committee member Bill Richards. College of Food, Agricultural and
4-H Center in Columbus on July 7. 25x’25 is a national alliance that shares “Discussion on key issues with other farm Environmental Sciences.
Billed as “Ohio Agriculture — Solutions and develops public policy supporting the and forestry leaders on an international For more information and registration,
from the Land,” the forum will feature goal that by 2025, America’s farms, forests level is a start; as is active participation visit the “News and Events” section at
briefings on agriculture and forestry’s role and ranches will provide 25% of the total with scientific, environmental, business, www.ofbf.org, call 740-201-8088 or e-mail
in a reduced carbon economy, the future energy consumed in the United States, labor and consumer groups in shaping mthompson@ohiocorn.org.
6News • Ohio’s Country Journal • July 2009
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