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Questions

Many things about the world today make me stand still, look to the heavens, and ask “why?” I suppose people have been doing that since the beginning of time.

There are those daily occurrences – the news my reporters cover or I stumble across. For instance:

A City Councilman in New York City has suggested using zoning laws to prevent fast food restaurants from being built. He believes that keeping these businesses out of certain neighborhoods will help in the fight against obesity.

Why doesn’t he believe his constituency is smart enough to make the decision about what they should eat without his interference?

By a voice vote, the U.S. Senate last week passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which, among other things, authorizes upgrades to locks and dams on the upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The measure passed the House last year by an overwhelming margin, and it’s seen as critical to keeping U.S. ag exports competitive in the global marketplace. Illinois farm groups have been rallying for that cause for a good 15 years so this seems to be a good thing, right? It is a good thing, BUT, the fight to upgrade locks and dams may just be starting. Authorizing locks and dams upgrades is one thing, but funding those upgrades is another. Congress will actually have to appropriate the money now that the projects have been authorized.

Why has this taken so long and can we afford to wait?

Over the last several years – a number of ag producers in different parts of the country have been sued by environmental extremists under the Superfund law. But most farm groups, and the bi-partisan group of lawmakers, say Congress never intended for the law to cover manure. “We never brought it up,” said Rebeckah Adcock, Director of Congressional Relations with American Farm Bureau Federation. “We never talked about it because we never thought anyone would consider manure anything like toxic or radioactive waste.”

The passage of a bill in the U.S. Senate that would exempt livestock manure from rules governing toxic waste has been approved as has a similar bill in the House. Supporters include Texas Republican Ralph Hall, who voted for the legislation that originally created the Superfund toxic waste cleanup law.

The Superfund law went into effect in the 80’s.

Why were several dairy farms forced out of business due to legal action under the Superfund laws before something was done?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pay no federal taxes on its income. Why?

There are many other occurrences I question daily. From something as simple as the woman driving the Toyota Avalon who thought she should follow me as closely as possible over the hills and around the curves of 179 Highway through Moniteau County Missouri this morning.

Why did she not pass me when given the opportunity? Why did she ride my bumper for a good 20 of the 30 miles I travel on my way to the office?

Why are there fewer young people going into production agriculture today? Perhaps Senate Ag Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss answered that one at a Farm Bill Field Hearing in Ankeny, Iowa earlier this week. He told those attending that it is virtually impossible for young farmers and ranchers to get started today. “You can’t as a young farmer jump in, buy land, buy tractors, and buy a $340,000.00 dollar cotton picker,” he said. “And I’m not sure what the answer to it is.”

And of course there are the deeper, more emotionally impactful questions like “Why do bad things happen to good people?” I’m not talking about a tractor tire needing replaced or a cow suffering grass tetni.

A bad thing is a health challenge or loss of a loved one.

When we begin to feel like the world is against us and agriculture is getting the short end of the straw, we should think about those who are suffering through much greater trials than those which bring us concern.