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Counterspin -
The future of Ag and the collapse of the Crystal
Cathedral
By Phil Hayworth
Want to know what President Barack Obama
has up his sleeve for rural America? Well, if you
believe what you read, then the Prez has nothing but
good intentions for us. According to his official
website, www.whitehouse.gov, the new administration
expects rural
communities and farm-base economies to
take part in "economic opportunities unlike anything we
have witnessed in modern history."
Here are a few things Obama said he'll do in the interest of farmers and ranchers - who I suspect will read the following with some skepticism:
Strong Safety Net for Family Farmers: Fight for farm programs that provide family farmers with stability and predictability. Implement a $250,000 payment limitation so we help family farmers -- not large corporate agribusiness. Close the loopholes that allow mega farms to get around payment limits.
Prevent Anticompetitive Behavior Against Family Farms: Pass a packer ban. When meatpackers own livestock they can manipulate prices and discriminate against independent farmers. Strengthen anti-monopoly laws and strengthen producer protections to ensure independent farmers have fair access to markets, control over their production decisions, and transparency in prices.
Regulate Confined Animal Feeding Operations: Strictly regulate pollution from large factory livestock farms, with fines for those that violate tough standards. Support meaningful local control.
Establish Country of Origin Labeling: Implement Country of Origin Labeling so that American producers can distinguish their products from imported ones.
Encourage Organic and Local Agriculture:
Help organic farmers afford to certify their crops and
reform crop insurance to not penalize organic farmers.
Promote regional food systems.
Encourage Young People to Become Farmers: Establish a new program to identify and train the next generation of farmers. Provide tax incentives to make it easier for new farmers to afford their first farm.
Partner with Landowners to Conserve Private Lands: Increase incentives for farmers and private landowners to conduct sustainable agriculture and protect wetlands, grasslands, and forests.
Looks pretty good to me. But then again, I don't believe everything I read. And when I see words like "partner with landowners" my brain deciphers that as, "get into your private business in a big way."
Speaking of not believing everything I read, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller - the televangelist with the genetically modified hairdo and groovy, royal garb - is in financial trouble. His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, abruptly resigned as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral - what one paper described as "The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch" and home to the "Hour of Power" broadcast. It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt. Revenue dropped by nearly $5 million last year, according to a recent letter from the elder Schuller to elite donors. The Crystal Cathedral blames the recession for its woes. But some argue that parishioners simply don't like Schuller's son as much as they like him - prompting Jr.'s resignation. I, for one, won't miss either of them. Frankly, they always seemed a little creepy to me. I actually liked Tammy Faye Baker because, let's face it, now that woman could act!
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