ROA Archive

15 March

The GOP’s king corn problem

Written by Don Carr

Republican politics — especially the presidential primary — have become a contest of appealing to the far right voter by demonstrating conservative street cred. That’s why it was fascinating to observe March 7th’s awkward march of Republican candidates to the Iowa State Fairgrounds to articulate their position on the Renewable Fuels Standard — a government handout for those...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, farm subsidies, ROA Leave a Comment

03 March

Kristi Noem’s Turnip Truck Problem

Written by Don Carr

Agriculture is South Dakota’s largest industry. And Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s political ascent has had some agriculture-related hiccups, which is confounding considering she grew up on the farm. First there was her propensity for skipping agriculture committee meetings. Then the embarrassing stalled farm bill in the House of Representatives. It also came to light that...

#ROA, Republicofawesome farm subsidies, politics, ROA Leave a Comment

20 February

Doug LaMalfa’s Onion Problem

Written by Don Carr

Satirical news site the Onion ran this amusing agriculture-related piece last week: Corporation Surprised To See Its Tax Money Circle Back Around To It So Soon MINNETONKA, MN—Saying he’d been expecting the multinational corporation to have to wait a little while longer, David MacLennan, the CEO of U.S.-based agribusiness Cargill, told reporters Friday he...

#ROA, Republicofawesome farm subsidies, food stamps, politics, ROA Leave a Comment

12 February

The Case for Greens to Abandon Farm Bill Conservation Programs

Written by Don Carr

The 114th Congress has convened and the agriculture committee membership has been set. It’s a little-known fact is that the federal farm bill – drafted by the agriculture committees — represents the single largest U.S taxpayer investment in the environment, with $39 billion spent on agriculture-related conservation programs from 1995-2012. The conservation programs authorized...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, conservation, ROA Leave a Comment

03 February

Rating the Politicos Shaping Our Food System

Written by Don Carr

How do the agriculture committees in the 114th Congress stack up? Last November, Mark Bittman, Micheal Pollan, Olivier De Schutter, and Ricardo Salvador made the case for a national food and farm policy to improve American diets and the environment. In a collectively penned Washington Post opinion piece, the authors and food system experts identified a...

#ROA, congress, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, politics, ROA Leave a Comment

23 January

Louisiana Lawmakers Put Corn Belt Farms Before Gulf Shrimpers

Written by Don Carr

Lawmakers could stem the growth of our largest dead zone with their votes. But most refuse to. Agriculture field run-off is the main contributor to the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone, an oxygen-deprived swath of ocean the size of Connecticut. Fertilizer from farms throughout the Midwest washes into the Mississippi River and eventually makes its...

#ROA, Republicofawesome conservation, politics, ROA Leave a Comment

16 January

Love it or Leave it News: Destroyed Testicle Edition

Written by Don Carr

It’s a new year and a renewed push by secessionists in California hoping to create a 51st state. “State of Jefferson” advocates have been trying for 50 years to breakaway from the Golden State. On Thursday they announced three more counties had joined their effort. “The whole northern third of California has a total...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Love It Or Leave It, ROA Leave a Comment

23 October

Welcome to the Republic of Awesome, South Florida

Written by Don Carr

The ROA did not expect to widen its borders so fast. In an October 7th City of South Miami Commission meeting, vice-mayor Walter Harris proposed a resolution to split south Florida off to form a 51st state. It passed 3-2. Mayor Phillip Stoddard backed Harris’s move as reported in the Sun Sentinel: “It’s very...

#ROA, Republic of Awesome Climate Change, Love It Or Leave It, ROA Leave a Comment

27 September

Wild Idea: O’Brien for ROA Agriculture Commissar

Written by Don Carr

My interview with author and co-owner of South Dakota’s Wild Idea Buffalo Ranch, Dan O’Brien, ran in Civil Eats Friday. The occasion was the publication of his new book, Wild Idea: Buffalo and Family in a Difficult Land. The piece focused on modern agriculture and the sustainability aspects of his business. There’s another side...

#Bundy, #ROA, Republic of Awesome conservation, ROA Leave a Comment