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11 February

Fooling Ourselves With Polls

Written by Don Carr

The situation in Flint, Michigan has rightly has put a spotlight on the deplorable state of drinking water in America. Water pollution in the U.S. from agriculture is also a big problem getting bigger. From Toledo to Des Moines, municipal water systems are being overwhelmed trying to filter out farm pollutants. The residents of Adrian, Minnesota...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, conservation Comments are off

08 February

Cruz Storms “King” Corn’s Castle

Written by Don Carr

Because of the outsized role they play in American politics, there will always be debate over the farm lobby’s power. The first in the nation Iowa presidential primary caucus has been a barometer of the corn and ethanol lobbies’ influence in particular due to the state’s huge output of both. This time around Texas...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, politics, White House Comments are off

21 January

Iowa “Corn”servatives Backing Rubio Recieved $4.7 Million in Subsidies

Written by Don Carr

Marco Rubio’s campaign for the GOP presidential nomination is doing well enough in Iowa that he recently announced an agriculture leadership team to bolster his corn cred. Both Jeb! Bush and the failed Scott Walker campaigns announced ag teams this summer. Rubio’s ream of 24 agriculture leader endorsements comes after Iowa consternation regarding his...

#ROA, Republicofawesome farm subsidies, politics, White House Comments are off

11 January

The Farm Bureau Four

Written by Don Carr

Food and farm reformers have rightly been focusing on the presidential primary season, urging candidates to talk about agriculture and engage in “good food” issues. But there’s another presidential race that will have profound impacts on our future food and farm system. And this contest has been flying under the radar of the good...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, food movement, politics Comments are off

17 December

Monsanto’s Climate Cowardice

Written by Don Carr

The increasing vagaries of climate change are already having profound impacts on agriculture and how we grow our food. The short of it is unless we find a way to drastically reduce green house gas emissions while sequestrating more carbon, we’re screwed. Droughts, floods, volatile weather and pests will make it much harder to...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, Climate Change, GMO Comments are off

15 December

Ted Cruz’s Million Dollar Food Stamp Question

Written by Don Carr

Politico reported on GOP presidential nomination Senator Ted Cruz’s recent crop insurance flip-flop. Crop insurance — essentially Obamacare for corn — is heavily subsidized. It’s also important to farmers in the crucial campaign state of Iowa. Cruz, whose supporters characterize him as a “full spectrum constitutional conservative” had initially voted to cut $3 billion in...

#ROA, Republicofawesome farm subsidies, food stamps, politics, White House Comments are off

20 November

Does the chicken industry pluck farmers?

Written by Don Carr

Since the end of World War II, poultry companies have been fine-tuning a system that gets farmers to compete to grow the most poultry. It’s called the tournament payment system, and by now it’s fiercely efficient, rewarding farmers who churn out big chickens on the cheap and penalizing those who don’t. It’s a system...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Animal Welfare, Food Comments are off

13 November

The Wrong Way

Written by Don Carr

Republican Matt Bevin’s recent triumph for the governorship in Kentucky underscores the long downward slide for Democrats in rural America. Due to Tea Party waves and cycles of lackluster outreach efforts the blue squad has seen its numbers dwindle in farm country. What could help farm state D’s wander out of the darkness? According...

#ROA, Republicofawesome, TheRepublicofawesome Ag Lobby, ethanol, politics Comments are off

01 November

A Food Party Dress Rehearsal

Written by Don Carr

Wednesday’s handshake agreement to possibly stave off cuts to subsidies to insurance companies for administering the crop insurance program was a master class in how to defend federal turf. Food movement types would do well to study and start to replicate the conventional agriculture sector’s response. It was a wonder to behold. While it’s...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Climate Change, farm subsidies, food movement, food stamps, politics, White House 3 Comments

21 October

Hot Diggity: Plate of the Union

Written by Don Carr

Last week while I was lamenting the lack of a coherent “Food Party” to press candidates ahead of the first Democratic debate, a coalition of groups and food movement powerhouses were planning a full-on assault on the primary process. Plate of the Union launched yesterday with a press event that included Food Policy Action, the Union of...

#ROA, Republicofawesome food movement, politics, White House Comments are off