EDITORIAL written 8/10/24 by rjm.
This is a station editorial, I’m Randal J. Miller, station president.
In a year where Central Illinois farmers are growing what looks to be a bumper crop, the Biden-Harris Administration is failing to keep the overseas markets we have as well as find new markets for the corn and soybeans that feed the world.
In interviews I did on our 2 ag stations WTIM Taylorville and WHOW Clinton during Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair, presidents of the state’s corn and soybean associations shared with our listeners that overseas sales of their products are languishing while we face a high carryover of last year’s crop, plus what will be another bumper crop this year.
Farm Credit Illinois President and CEO Aaron Johnson also shared high interest rates and low commodity prices have his farmer customers cutting back on farm machinery purchases. And, we think with continued high costs for fertilizer and fuel, farmers may cut back on these inputs for next year, all negatively affecting our local economy.
Every time the national corn and soybean associations are thrown a bone by the Biden E-P-A about using that bumper crop for sustainable fuels like increased ethanol use, biodiesel use, or the new bio aviation fuel, the Administration then attaches strings to any new uses by stating the crop must have a conservation component attached to it with endless documentation to satisfy their green agenda.
In an opinion piece by Republican U-S Congressman Jason Smith from Missouri, in Agri-Pulse earlier this year, he states, and I’m quoting from his piece:
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration continues to drag its feet on enforcing existing trade agreements to protect our agriculture exporters. Simultaneously, it is bypassing Congress to negotiate fake, unenforceable trade dialogues, working groups, compacts, and handshakes on an ad hoc basis – zero strategy whatsoever. End of quote.
Bottom line is: We think agriculture doesn’t fit into the Biden-Harris Administration’s green agenda, and another 4 years will make matters worse. That’s our opinion, we welcome yours. Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com
