Common Sense Agriculture's Blog

The announcement today that the “Super Committee” had FAILED, made me thoroughly DISGUSTED!

I was so disgusted that I took an entire 15 minutes to compile a bill for Congress to take up immediately upon their return to D.C. following Thanksgiving.

112^th CONGRESS

1^st SESSION

H.R. _ _ _ _

AN ACT

To balance the budget, eliminate the deficit and restore long-term economic stability.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

1. the budgets of ALL departments, agencies, programs, entitlements and all branches of government will be reduced by five percent, effective immediately;
2. all salaries, to all ELECTED and APPOINTED Federal officials will be suspended, effective immediately;
3. all insurance coverage held by all elected Federal officials will be suspended, effective immediately;
4. and all assets belonging to ELECTED Federal officials will be suspended, effective immediately.

The previously established conditions may be lifted when and only when:

1. a balanced budget is passed and signed by the President;
2. a plan to eliminate the deficit by 2022 is passed and signed by the President;
3. a plan to make Social Security solvent is passed and signed by the President;
4. and a plan to make Medi Care solvent is passed and signed by the President.

EFFECTIVE DATE – The actions of this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives, November 28, 2011

Attest:

Clerk

Off and on, over the past few months, I have seen and participated in several discussions relating to labeling and specifically, labels relating to GMO’s. Twitter is not the best place to have this discussion, in my opinion, so I have put together my thoughts on the subject here.

GMO vs GEO

I catch myself using these two terms interchangeably and I should not be. There is a major difference between genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) and genetically engineered organisms (GEO’s).

Modify: to limit; to make minor changes in; to make basic or fundamental changes in often to give a new orientation to or to serve a new end.

Engineer: the creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures; to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions.

All biological organisms, plants, animals, bacteria, etc., have been modified, or changed, since the beginning of time. In some cases it has been through natural processes, outside of the direct influence of man. In other instances, man has directly modified through selection. For example, keeping wheat that had more grains per head, grass that could tolerate drought, cattle that gain weight quicker or more efficiently are all manners in which man has modified organisms.

GEO’s, on the other hand, have been engineered my man to exhibit specific traits. Plants have been engineered to withstand drought, repel insects, disease and the infamous herbicide Roundup. Arizona State provides a fairly clear dissertation on Plant Genetic Engineering. Read more…

A friend of mine sent me this photo. I think it says it all.

I came across this quote again the other day and couldn’t help but think that it is as pertinent today as it was then…perhaps even more so. We’ve got some individuals in DC who need to read this and take it to heart…particularly a President, who likes to quote President Lincoln, however, he has yet to use this one.

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. 
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. 
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. 
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. 
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. 
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. 
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

Abraham Lincoln

(also attributed to Reverend William John Henry Boetcke)

My son helping change water.

I received an email the other day from a friend…an email that at first I thought was a joke, a spoof, one of those emails that once you read part way down says something to the effect of “Gotcha! Things aren’t really as bad they seem.”

I read through the synopsis…waiting to come to the “Gotcha” part…it wasn’t there…this was a legitimate proposal by the Department of Labor.

I was dumfounded at first…then a state of disbelief…followed by a wave of legitimate anger.

How could anyone seriously propose these new regulations for agricultural employment of children?

What is even worse, is that it will negatively impact and make illegal, many of the routine activities considered by the department to be “work” that occur on a daily basis on all farms and ranches. Read more…