Mistaken Policies
I am proud to be a farmer and work this land to grow food for my family and my community. In doing this, I have learned that if the land is healthy, if the water is clean, then the food I grow will help create healthy people. If the land or the water is polluted then community health suffers.
While most people in the farming community understand this, there are some people out there who are trying to do away with the protections that make sure our water, air and land remain healthy. I am referring to the unfortunate policies of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
For instance, the federation worked with Congress to weaken the Food Safety Act.
Now, there are many good people in local farm bureaus. The problem is that these people usually have to follow the national party line or get themselves in trouble. So what we end up with are national farming policies that are designed to help those with a lot of money keep it.
It’s high time the National Farm Bureau started listening to all the farmers who actually work and live on the land.
R.J. SCHWICTENBERG
Orange
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