Top priorities of the National Farmers Union are priorities of the Obama administration. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed health care reform and climate change at the NFU Convention Monday in Rapid City, South Dakota. Make no mistake, says Vilsack, farmers and ranchers are getting the short end of the stick – paying more for less health care coverage. He says President Obama’s reform bill will directly help farmers and ranchers who are paying too much for health care by eliminating unfair practices, pre-existing conditions and caps, and giving them more choices, “My hope is, that this week, we take a very significant step towards that question as it relates to farm families by providing them some assistance and some help, so they can better afford creating competition so they have more choice and that they can’t be gamed in the system.” The House budget committee Monday approved a framework to modify the Senate-passed health care bill opening the door for House approval of the bill by week’s end.
As for climate change, Vilsack told delegates that climate change is real and the benefits to producers are real. Vilsack says there are environmental and trade benefits from carbon capture. But, he says studies saying lots of trees must be planted to abate carbon were based on a flawed model, “And we (USDA) are in the process today of issuing a memorandum outlining some concerns with that model, and the fact that Texas A & M and Duke and Oregon State are going to be working with USDA to approve the model so that there’s an accurate description of precisely what’s to happen and will happen with a properly structured carbon market.”
With the right legislation, Vilsack insists there are net profit opportunities for farmers and ranchers. USDA’s carbon advisor says they’re keeping a hopeful eye on the bipartisan climate bill being put together by Senators Kerry and Graham.
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