"AG Leaders Pan GOP Ethanol Stance"

Months ago in Iowa, it was John McCain who said NO to the Farm Bill, adding his voice to Bush's Farm Bill VETO. Their's was a big NO to the hope that our country could become energy independent.

Now the Republican Platform has confirmed McCain's big NO to ethanol. This platform rejection is a really BIG NO since once again it confirms McCain's opposition to our country's hopes of becoming energy independent.

Then, to add insult to injury, McCain anointed Sarah Palin, new Governor of Alaska, as his VP choice, and Sarah immediately proclaimed herself expert on energy policy, but this self-proclaimed expertise can only be considered true if "energy" is defined as "oil and gas" ... and even then, there's little evidence that her expertise is actually backed by legitimate science. Forget ethanol. Forget solar. Forget wind. Forget polar bears. Forget global warming. Just plain forget, since essentially everything we know must be forgotten except for VP Dick Cheney's early-in-the-Bush-Administration secret meeting with the oil industry. I'm not sure we know yet the names of all the oil and gas industry folks who planned and plotted, but we certainly know the results, i.e., oil industry profits were the name of the game, with the result that every time we fill up our car's gas tank or get the bill for home heating, we pay more ... and more ... and more.

Of course, Sarah has proclaimed herself a budget expert, too ... since Alaska is about the only state whose budget has gotten stronger in these days of escalating energy prices.

Jerry Hagstrom, DTN's political correspondent has written a very thoughtful piece about how even the most dedicated farm leaders who have been traditionally Republican are taking the news that once again, the conservative back door has slammed shut on the hopes of Americans who previously were still loyal to the conservatives. See Hagstrom's story at "Leaders Weigh Changes in Republican Ethanol Platform".

Farm Bill -- Yes Delayed ... Again! and Still!

Not that anyone totally knows for sure, but it could be that we're looking at a one to two month extension of the current Farm Bill -- coming soon?

According to Jerry Hagstrom reporting for DTN, House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson has blamed some Senators who want to turn the Farm Bill into a tax bill.

"Credit" for the delay in passage of the Farm Bill can also be blamed on other factors, including USDA, which even with the confirmation of the new Secretary, isn't exactly cooperating and on Western and Southern Plains Senators who are committed to creating a new permanent disaster program. Of course, this "blame" list leaves out the environmentalists who had hoped to turn the Farm Bill into a healthy food/health land bill, the corporate interests who specifically oppose change in farm programs and the President who again and again has promised to veto the Farm Bill if the costs threaten his tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans -- Bush Threatens Farm Bill Veto: Opposes Public Nutrition, BioFuel and Land Stewardship Programs.

Meanwhile, rural communities and their farming constituencies are paying the price. Senate Agriculture Chairman Tom Harkin's longstanding commitment to stronger funding for rural development programs, conservation and programs strengthening school lunch are also at stake. See House Farm Bill, Senate Farm Bill and USDA Farm Bill for detail on the differences.