On the subject of local community, regional, and international peacebuilding, I'd like to recommend a document I wrote and compiled, as part of a current work-in-progress, and as part of my work building The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative.The document is titled "36 Problems That May Arise (in Preparing for, and Implementing, Community Visioning Initiatives)", and it is accessible as a pdf file attached to a journal entry of that same title, at my journal at www.worldpulse.com (see http://www.worldpulse.com/node/13829 )With Kind Regards,Stefan Pasti, Founder and Outreach CoordinatorThe IPCR Initiative
Agricultural commissioners in the five counties report that most of the losses relate to acres not planted or to anticipated yield reductions because of water shortages. About $12 million in losses relate to drought damage to rangeland. The agricultural commissioners agree these loss totals could increase as farmers report final production figures. "
Why the big money bale out to the financial and auto industries and ignoring the pight of the farmers, workers and commuites in California's central valley? We don't need money, just water? And the Presient has to power to give it to use. I really do not understand this. Even those affected who have supported the President are wondering why they have be left high and dry. I realize that the environmental issue are a concern but at what point do you set aside the Endangered Species Act in cases of such an emergancy? He hasn't even spoken about the issue and the Secretary of the Inerior's visit did not provide any relief.
When will the supporters of the President who live in the affected counties start to demand some answers? Do we just support and not ask why we are being ignored? Are we just to afraid to lose political capital? Do we just play along while our neighbors lose everying?
WHAT WILL IT TAKE!
Agriculture Policy Reform in the Federal Budget
Category: Agriculture, Federal Budget, Headlines By TCS
Pub Date: Feb 26, 2009
The President’s budget proposals for the Department of Agriculture include a number of items that TCS would like to see come to fruition. These include proposals (savings estimates in parentheses):
To reduce crop insurance premium subsidies and underwriting gains. TCS has written extensively on this topic, and testified on these excessive subsidies during the recent farm bill debate. ($5.2 billion)
To phase out direct payments over three years to farmers with sales revenue of more than $500,000 annually. This is another area where TCS has long been a proponent of reform. ($9.8 billion)
That reduces program funding for overseas brand promotion and minimizes the benefits that large for-profit entities indirectly gain as members of trade associations who also participate in the Market Access Program. ($358 million)
Would eliminate the requirement for the Government to pay the storage costs of cotton that is put under loan with USDA. ($570 million)
The full details of the President’s budget are expected next month, so we will have to wait to fully endorse any of these proposals. But in at least one other agriculture-related area the budget falls short. In promising to move the country in a new direction using more renewable fuels, TCS would like to see a clear commitment to reducing subsidies for corn-based ethanol. This is a century old product that should long ago have been taken off of the federal dole.
"Food banks don't have enough to meet the demand." -Obama, 2/9/09
Healthcare, education, energy, and infrastructure need to be addressed; it's true. My hope is that as this administration moves forward that it takes steps to improve our agricultural system in this country. When we address how we grow and access food, we also address our health and environmental issues. Industrialized agriculture is guilty of polluting our air, watersheds, and soil, and ultimately our food. Polluted and depleted soil creates polluted and depleted soil, which in turn creates polluted and depleted people, who make numerous trips to the doctor to address chronic illnesses and become dependent on medications that don't actually address the cause of the dis-ease.
I'd like to this this administration and Congress stand up to "agri-chemical" corporations and say, "We're not going to let you slowly poison this country." The FDA is broken and in the pockets of multi-national "agri-pharmacuetical" companies. The USDA is broken and in the pockets of "genetically engineered bio-chemical" agribusinesses.
Want to know more: watch The Future of Food or King Corn. www.thefutureoffood.com
Want to find real hope and change: check out www.pathtofreedom.com
You too can make a change by planting a seed.
Michael Pollan, Food Policy and Hegemony
by: Paul Rosenberg @ openleft.com
On Bill Moyers Journal last night, the conversation with food expert Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History Of Four Meals, In Defense Of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) was extremely revealing, not only about the subject of food and its complex relationship with issues from global warming to childhood obesity, but also with the larger patterns of how power works and how new thinking is kept marginalized-even in an atmosphere of "change." Indeed, in its own way, this program threw more light on the recent debates over policy and personnel in the Obama Administration than almost anything I can think of ostensibly written on the subject.
Take this, for example, not even from the dialogue, but just from the introduction:
BILL MOYERS: For a brief moment during the campaign, reformers thought Barack Obama might include agriculture in the "agenda of change" he would take to Washington. He told TIME magazine that the way we produce our food "is partly contributing to type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease, obesity, all the things that are driving our huge explosion in health care costs." The farm lobby roared in protest. Obama buckled, took it back, and said he was "simply paraphrasing an article he read." Ah, yes - but what an article...........ENTIRE POST - http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=10196
Ah, yes - but what an article...........
ENTIRE POST - http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=10196
I formally congratulate our President Elect Obama and everyone involved for making this moment in our history a reality. I am not typically an emotional person. This makes my outburst of euphoric surprise (and happiness) as momentous as the magical seed of hope now planted inside me. When "possibility" manages to evict "cynicism" from an otherwise cemented mind, what is one supposed to do? I don't know about you, but I've taken the proactive roll of joining this community ( I am the ultimate anti-social type, so this is a big deal) and exercise my given right to protect my country and those I love through the power of free speech and information. So if the soapbox fits, I'm challenging everyone to wear it and join in on my concerns as well as fill the gaps in places I need informing.
Now on to business!
The media water cooler is vibrating from all the names being thrown about for Obama's cabinet. Now, I may not be able to add a juicy name to the pot yet, but I do know the criteria I feel must be followed in order for Obama's promises of an energy independent, strong economic and healthy nation to come to fruition. My first area of concern - agriculture,the safety of our food supply and the possibility of Tom Vilsack becoming our next Secretary of Agriculture.
Why?
Let's start with Tom Vilsack. He advocates genetically engineered crops and energy-intensive agricultural practices while toting an agenda for the United States to reduce its energy dependence on foreign countries and cutting our carbon. These are contradicting dogmas that cannot function together. Energy-intensive agriculture requires massive amounts of petroleum products. Everything from the machinery to the fertilizer. This type of agricultural practice not only strips the soil of nutrients and makes the land vulnerable to erosion (think of the dust bowl, but makes it impossible for farmers to make it without government subsidies. Our average commercial wheat grower loses 5 cents per bushel. Not to mention that the nutritional quality of our food and soil are degrading from one season to the next. If we are going to get away from being a petroleum dependent nation, such inefficient and costly practices must change over to what the organic and sustainable methods are providing in yield, nutritional quality and energy use.
Tom Vilsack's pom-poms for genetically engineered food are going to put the United States into not only an economic hole, but a health one as well. Economically, farmers are losing more and more of their seeds to crazed-mass patenting by the agro-influencing pharmaceutical corporations. Seeds, I may add, they have the God given right to raise and plant from one generation to the next. They are also losing crops to cross contamination. Seeds and crops are being patented and manipulated by agrochemical, bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies (MONSANTO, CARGIL, DOW...you know who you are) and there are no restrictions as to where and how they can plant and test their crops. This means that their genetically engineered pollen can ride the free wave of nature's wind and take over other farmers' crops, even the ones carefully tended to as Organic. Now why should that concern ME you ask? Well, our bodies are one big chemistry set. Everything we breathe, drink or put in our mouths breaks down and changes once it starts traveling through our body system. If you eat corn that has been altered by the DNA of a soil bacteria and an amphibian (no, I am not kidding), it means that "that" is going into you body and your body must react to "it". Now, would you eat a handful of dirt? No, because the bacteria and a whole host of other things in it will make you sick. Would you lick or eat a live frog? Probably not (unless you are one of those strange beings looking for a very desperate poisoning high). But your body is going to react to those foreign DNA intrusions and that can lead to everything from misdiagnosed asthma, hay fever or a very scary trip to the emergency room (don't even get me started on long term effects upon organs, reproductive systems and child development).
Our nation is suffering already (and perhaps due to GM tainting) from skyrocketing cases of cancer, diabetes, obesity, malnutrition, heart disease, bronchial infections and disorders, Celiac disease, and an alarming rise in autism. This is only naming a few and they are especially affecting our children and the poor. Now doesn't this make you concerned about our health care system? Yes, there is a direct link to the quality of our diets to the quality of our health. Most of what we suffer from is preventative, but only if we have the power to make decisions about our food. That is a right we all have, not only as Americans but as human beings and this right is threatened. Even now, the USDA is rushing through its rules on GE foods and pharmaceutical crops. This essentially takes protection away from us and makes it easier (and more profitable) for the companies behind the engineering. This puts money in their pockets and takes money out of ours as taxpayers and consumers. I don't know about anyone else, but I pay a lot for my health insurance and that is just to have it. We are in a healthcare crisis that President Elect Obama has put great emphasis upon within his agenda for our country. Remember, we can survive without gasoline, but no living thing on this planet will survive without food and water that functions in our bodies the way they are supposed to.
Back to Tom Vilsack. I realize he is a friend and has supported Obama throughout his campaign. However, if President Elect Obama is going to keep his word he needs people who's alliances will make his proposed policies a reality, and that means making sure their agendas don't contradict his own or that of the people's safety and health.
So for any other candidate for this position or any other cabinet placement, I ask this - if they are pro-gene tic modification or have MONSANTO (or any agrochemical, biotech, pharmaceutical company) on their resume, think hard and twice about considering them for a position of such importance and power. People may be poor, losing their homes or going through other hard times, but everyone must eat and an economy is nothing if all the people are dying or sick.
On a happier note, I'll be back next time with some info on agriculture and a green economy. If you want to do your own research, there are some excellent sites to check out. Here they are:
www.democracyinaction.org
www.centerforfoodsafety.org
Books to check out:
Cradle to Cradle by Wiliam McDonough & Michael Braungart
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamon
One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka
Oh, and if President Elect Obama should choose to read these books ( or have read them already), it would make my year :}
I really don't think that Vilsack is a good choice for Secretary of Agriculture, because of his ties to the GMO industry. The rational for using corn for energy is also a down side. He also signed a bill, when governor of Iowa that outlawed local communities from passing ordnances on what they wanted to do about GMO's in their community.There are other people that should be considered who are not so conflicted as the former governor of Iowa is.
Please rethink this.
We are currently mobilizing funds for our projects in Haiti, if you can, please make a donation. If not, forward our request to your lists on our behalf.
Project 2000 International, Inc. has its core service as education. We believe that if people are educated, opportunities will result. We have now began to grow beyond our core service by providing health services, agricultural education, micro-credit and training schools in order to develop a sustainable entrepreneurial revolution in Haiti. Please, help us in securing funding for our programs.
We are a 501c3 organization; your donations are tax deductible
http://www.project2000international.org/eng_agriculture.htm
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Listening to all the negativity in the news these days, I look forward to hearing a voice that builds on a unified future. I am so pleased to hear Sen. Obama speak about working together, and helping each other. But I share a concern with a lot of others who live in rural America, or farm in suburbia, or even in the big cities - that we will not be included in that plan.
"Dear Mr. President-Elect, It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food."
So begins the article Michael Pollan wrote for the recent Food issue of The New York Times titled "Farmer In Chief" that we should all read. I think we should make sure that Senator Obama's Economic, Energy, and Agriculture advisors read it too. I sent a copy to both of my Senators (from Montana) and my Representative as well.
Food and Agricultural policy is definitely an issue often overlooked, yet central to improving the state of our country on many fronts over the next decades. From National Security to Health Care to Climate Change, improving and changing our food system from Fossil-Fuel centric to Solar centric, and from Consolidated to Diversified can have positive ripple effects across the board. I won't argue that it's going to be a good change for everyone, but for the bulk of the country, these changes can create a win-win-win sitution.
For those of us in the Mid-Atlantic region who value clean rivers and streams and want to preserve our quality of life, the decision to vote for Sen. Barack Obama as an easy one.Mr. Obama's platform recognizes the unique nature of the Chesapeake watershed, and he is dedicated to providing the resources to clean up the water flowing into the bay. The Obama Democratic platform states, "We support a comprehensive solution for restoring our national treasures - such as the Great Lakes, Everglades and Chesapeake Bay - including expanded scientific research and protections for species and habitats there." The Obama platform also promises to change direction from the previous eight years and strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws.More specifically, Mr. Obama supports numerous initiatives to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution from the three sectors that most affect local water quality and the health of the Chesapeake region: wastewater treatment plant upgrades, agriculture, and land-use change and development.Mr. Obama has been a leader on clean water issues and recognizes the importance of wastewater treatment plant upgrades. However, he knows that these upgrades can be expensive investments for local and state governments. An Obama administration would help communities meet their clean water needs by restoring federal financing for water treatment infrastructure through full funding of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
As president, Mr. Obama would work to improve incentives that help farmers prevent runoff pollution from soil erosion, fertilizers and pesticides. This would include increased funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Security Program and Conservation Reserve Program.Mr. Obama has demonstrated his commitment to agriculture and the environment by his endorsement of the 2008 Farm Bill. This bill included $188 million for the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program, which targets innovative conservation practices in the Susquehanna, Potomac, Shenandoah and Patuxent watersheds, as well as an additional $252 million from other conservation programs for the Chesapeake states.Mr. Obama has worked for tougher environmental regulations on concentrated animal feeding operations, including limits on nitrogen, phosphorus, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and other pollutants.Land-use change and development in rural areas is the single most significant threat to the long-term quality of life and environmental health in the Chesapeake region. Mr. Obama recognizes that non-point pollution is the largest source of water pollution into our rivers and streams, which is his reason for proposing a new stormwater cleanup program. In addition, an Obama administration would re-evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that Smart Growth considerations are taken into account and would recommit federal resources to public mass transportation projects across the country.Forests and wetlands are two of the most important land uses in the Chesapeake region that need to be preserved to improve the quality of our rivers and streams. To foster healthier forests, Mr. Obama proposes offering incentives to maintain and manage them sustainably, including rewarding forest owners and farmers when they plant trees. Over the years, he has been an advocate for preserving our wetlands by supporting the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Wetlands Reserve Program.Mr. Obama is proposing to invest $150 billion nationwide over the next decade to develop solar, wind and ethanol technologies. He would create a $50 billion Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund that would move cellulosic technologies from the laboratory to commercialization. This effort would encourage cellulosic ethanol production in the Chesapeake states. This broad investment in energy technologies would generate 5 million jobs in our nation and provide greater energy security and cleaner water.Mr. Obama's climate change initiative reduces carbon emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, employs a cap-and-trade system and auctions 100 percent of pollution credits.In summary, Mr. Obama would bring the change we need: a stronger economy, more jobs, energy security and a cleaner, healthier Chesapeake region.
The other night a woman asked Senator Obama what sacrifice he would ask us all to make. I was disappointed at his answer but I understand his point. When I look back on what made this country great, and still does, is what we can do when we band together to make a difference. We need to shift the conversation from "What's going to happen to me and my family?" to "What can I do to help another family?" We saw it when Katrina happened. We see in it Habitat for Humanity, and many other projects around the country on a small scale. But right now people are so panicked about the economy they are "hunkering down," to protect what's theirs. What we need to do is to open up and see how we can help our community. That is recession proof, and a step toward recovery.
As a small farmer and a wife/mom, I don't have extra money to give to anyone. Wish I could, but I'm sharing the knowledge that I have on my farm so that people can make better decisions in their shopping and planning. I'm starting to open my farm up and teach simple skills such as basic carpentry and sewing, as well as farming, because the young people of today have taught to be excellent consumers, not community members. We live in an era of "somebody fix this," instead of "I fixed it myself." There is pride in accomplishment, whether it's making a million dollars, or fixing a broken doorknob.
Please, Obama. Read my post! I think I'm on to something here.
I know Kucinich is a wacky choice for this post. He's a vegan, first off. He'll make agricultural conglomorates uncomfortable. But that counts as a plus in my column. The thing people don't realize about vegans is that the majority of our arguments against eating meat are based in industrial farming. That's not to take away from animal rights, as that certainly figures in. But really, it's the practice of factory farming and industrial agriculture that have the largest impact. Look at the figures of greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use in the farming industry-- you want to break our dependance on foreign oil and clean up the environment, then severely revise how we produce our food and raise our livestock.
I'm not radically minded to think that we're going to convert over every person to a vegan diet. I don't even know that that's important to me. I understand that people eat meat, and that's something that I don't see changing anytime soon. That being said, I do think the way we go about "creating" that meat is wrong on a number of levels.
For example, look at how beef is produced-- using corn to fatten cows in the feed lot. Giving corn to a ruminant is a recipe for disaster. They can't process it. It makes them sick. To counteract the sickness from their diets (and from the close quarters of the industrial feedlot), we pump them full of antibiotics. Then, because we're pumping them full of drugs, they start to develop more antibiotic resistant bacteria in their digestive systems. Suddenly we've got this incredibly virulent E.Coli issue which is created DIRECTLY because of how we raise beef. Not to mention corn-fed beef is incredibly fatty. "marbled" beef just means it's got more FAT in it. While maybe tasty on the plate, it certainly doesn't help with our nationwide epidemic of obesity. Plus all of the fossil fuels that go into creating the surfeit of corn that is commoditized, and rendered down into hundred of food "products" that also contribute to our obesity and other health disorders.
If I'm rambling and this seems disorganized, I apologize... There's complicated issues at play, and I get it. But I also know that taking a good hard and honest look at our food chain and agriculture can SIGNIFICANTLY impact our society in a myriad of ways, from health to environment. And I think Kucinich has got the spine and the wisdom for the job. He's not beholden to the old school food pyramid and oligarchy of the beef, dairy, poultry industries. And he's smart enough to realize that radical change and forcing a vegan agenda isn't going to be the answer. So he will be a wise advocate for sustainable agriculture, changes that impact our health, wealth and environmental impact. And while not the first choice, I certainly believe he'd be a voice of change in an industry that desperately needs it.
So he's a rookie card in my starter deck of my dream cabinet. I don't think I'm wrong here... Whaddya think? Leave comments. Let's chat 'bout it.
The 15th Annual HIA Convention & Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday and Monday, October 19-20, 2008 at the Best Western Roundhouse Suites in Boston, Massachusetts, USA - directly after Natural Products Expo East & BioFach America. (Directly after Natural Products Expo East & BioFach America.)
Please click here for more information.
This schedule is preliminary and subject to change as plans develop.
Featured Speakers:
For Hemp Industries Association members only.
Please join now if you are not yet a member.
Please support Vote Hemp, our sister organization and Co-op America
~@~
Industrial Hemp Legislation to Cultivate, Study and Support
Industrial Hemp is currently legal to grow in more than 30 countries including Canada, Germany, England, France, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, China, Hungary and Romania. For more information on where hemp is being grown today, click here.
Many U.S. states have passed legislation to grow, study or request changes in U.S. government policy on industrial hemp. To date, twenty-six states have introduced hemp legislation and fourteen have passed legislation; seven (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or research.
Hawaii has not only passed hemp legislation allowing for hemp trials but has actually planted the first legal hemp crop since the 1950s! The Hawaii Industrial Hemp Research Project was authorized for research under the direction of Dr. Dave West. It has since been closed due to DEA shenanigans and problems renewing the DEA permit.
For the first time since the federal government outlawed hemp farming in the United States, a federal bill has been introduced that would remove restrictions on the cultivation of non-psychoactive industrial hemp. H.R. 3037, the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2005," was written with the help of Vote Hemp by chief sponsor Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and several original co-sponsors have already signed on. The bill defines industrial hemp and assigns authority over it to the states, allowing laws in those states regulating the growing and processing of industrial hemp to take effect.
For more information and a complete summary of state and federal hemp legislation, click here to visit the Vote Hemp Web site.
Hemp is Business: A Wealth of Products & Supreme Versatility
Click here for a listing of products from HIA companies. These represent just the beginning of a huge wealth of possible items that can be manufactured from hemp.
The American economy is losing out on a huge opportunity because of bias by the American Federal Government. Industrial Hemp Farming could offer our nation a domestic agricultural bonanza with this one crop being usable by a wide-randing manufacturing customer base.
Last night I made a series of purchases of the products displayed below.
Sashmill: 100% Hemp Button Down Shirt
Horizon Long Sleeve Tee
Hemp Jean in 100% Hemp...True Yarn Dyed Denim
The products above are constructed from Hemp, imported from countries such as Canada and England.
California Hemp Legislation 2007Hemp Bill AB 1147 Vetoed by the Gubernator in Oct. 2006, but has been re-introduced as AB 684 in 2007. He vetoed this one as well.
No Sweat Hemp High-Top
100% vegan, sweat-shop free and environmentally-friendly as well. The 100% hemp upper of this sneaker was organically grown, then thoroughly washed to give it a smooth and bright look and feel. No Sweat brand manufactures union-made footwear.
Hemp Tri-fold Wallet with Inca Design
This wallet is 100% hemp and comes in natural with a tribal band design.
Each of the products above cost me equal to any comparable product. Each of these products are made by imported Hemp, except for the shoes as those are manufactured in Europe.
The American Farmer, as well as every citizen who would be willing and able to start a small business which could utilize this domestically grown commodity are being deprived of their opportunity to produce this LIST of PRODUCTS below.
Accessories back packs, bags, beanies, belts, briefcases, caps, checkbook covers, gloves, guitar straps, hair ties, hats (knit, crocheted & fabric), hip packs, jewelry, luggage, purses, scarves, shawls, shoe laces, shoes, socks, ties, travel kits, wallets, watchbands
Animal Care beds, bedding, feed, leashes & collars, treats
Apparel baby clothes, bathrobes, dresses, jackets, jeans, lingerie, overalls, pants, shirts, shorts, skirts, suits, sweaters, tees
Body Care hair conditioners, lip balms, lipsticks, lotions, massage oils, nutritional oils, salves, shampoos, soaps, tanning lotions
Foods beer, breads, brownies, burgers, chips, chocolate bars, coffees, cookies, defatted hempseed meal, shelled hempseeds, dry mixes - cake, cookie, pancake & pizza dough, energy bars, flour, hummus, ice cream (non-dairy desserts), nut bars, nut-butter, oil, pasta, pretzels, protein powders, roasted seeds, salad dressings, spiced hemp seeds
Housewares aprons, blankets, curtains, couch covers, dish cloths, furniture, hammocks, potholders, pillows, placemats, napkins, shower curtains, tablecloths, towels, washcloths
Paper art papers, bond, bookmarks, books, cigarette papers, corrugated board, envelopes, invitations, journals, magazines, postcards, posters, stationery, writing pads, books, magazines, newsletters, research papers
Raw Hemp bast fiber, batting (tow), long fiber (line or sliver) for industry & craft use, hurds (core), seed stock, seed grain
Sports Equipment basketball nets, frisbees, hackie sacks, skateboards, snowboards, surfboards
Spun Hemp twine, rope, yarn, webbing, thread
Textiles hand-woven & mill-loomed fabrics: blended silks to canvas, various weights & textures, colors, patterns, stripes & plaids; knits; finishing services; non-woven matting (replacing fiberglass); carpets & rugs
Other dolls, candles, coffee filters, drums, picture frames, teddy bears, toys
Please contact your Representative and assure them it is OK to talk about a revival of the Industrial Hemp Industry in America. I believe Representatives in Congress keep this subject at arms length simply because they believe it is linked to it's cousin, Marijuana and, they are fearful of a backlash from the voters for a perception of being Pro-marijuana.
Here is an interesting and enlightening assortment of hemp facts:
Questions about Industrial Hemp?
Basic Uses of Industrial Hemp: Food, Fuel, Fiberby Mari Kane
Today, the campaign released a letter from Barack to the attendees of the 27th Annual Farmfest in Redwood, County, Minnesota.
Read the full letter here:
If you're a Rural Minnesotan for Obama, sign up here to get the latest news and updates. Join Rural Minnesotans for Obama today!
Tomorrow, Sen. Amy Klobuchar will be in Redwood County, MN to rally Obama supporters at Farm Fest. She'll be on hand to discuss Barack's comprehensive energy plan and to announce the Rural Minnesotans for Obama Steering Committee.
Here's the press release that just went out with the event details.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar will headline a rally of Obama supporters tomorrow at Farm Fest to announce the Rural Minnesotans for Obama Steering Committee and to discuss Obama’s New Energy for America plan. Obama’s New Energy for America plan is a comprehensive energy plan that will lessen our dependence on foreign oil, give American families an immediate energy rebate of $1,000 to deal with soaring gas prices, and create five million new green jobs.You can read the plan here: http://www.NewEnergyforAmerica.com.See details below.Sen. Klobuchar and Greater Minnesotans for ObamaFarmFestGilfillan EstateDFL BoothTent 2, Booth 3102Redwood Falls, MNProgram Begins: 12:00 PM
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar will headline a rally of Obama supporters tomorrow at Farm Fest to announce the Rural Minnesotans for Obama Steering Committee and to discuss Obama’s New Energy for America plan. Obama’s New Energy for America plan is a comprehensive energy plan that will lessen our dependence on foreign oil, give American families an immediate energy rebate of $1,000 to deal with soaring gas prices, and create five million new green jobs.
You can read the plan here: http://www.NewEnergyforAmerica.com.See details below.Sen. Klobuchar and Greater Minnesotans for ObamaFarmFestGilfillan EstateDFL BoothTent 2, Booth 3102Redwood Falls, MNProgram Begins: 12:00 PM
Be sure to stop by the DFL booth at 12 noo, if you can!
If you're a Rural Minnesotan for Obama, be sure to sign up for more information and for details on upcoming events!
There's a very interesting shell game being played with food these days. Under agreements with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, developing nations are prohibited from subsidizing local farmers. In the meantime, farmers in the US and EU receive substantial subsidies, making it cheaper to export food to the Developing World than to grow it there for local consumption. Third World farmers are then encouraged to grow export crops (out of season fruits, flowers, etc.)
This is all changing with the advent of $100+/barrel oil. It will no longer be possible, even with agricultural subsidies, to grow affordable food here and ship it elsewhere for consumption by low income individuals, not that that fact will change the minds or the behavior of those invested in the current system. We can either deal with this rationally or experience decades of horrendous suffering, an Apocalpyse, if you will.
