The Hannibal Courier-Post - McCaskill On Strengthening Family Farms

Hannibal Courier-Post: McCaskill On Strengthening Family Farms

July 07, 2006

By Danny Henley
Hannibal Courier-Post

"I was for ethanol before ethanol was cool."

Claire McCaskill, the Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate, made that statement before a group of approximately 50 supporters during a campaign stop on Thursday at F&T Livestock in rural Palmyra.

McCaskill has heard GOP attacks that say she does not have the interests of rural Missouri at heart because she failed to back the federal energy bill, which included incentives to boost ethanol and biodiesel production.

"It's unfair and untrue for them to say that about my record," said McCaskill. "Sen. Talent knows that the reason I'm opposed to the energy bill is because of the $14 billion handout to big oil. Had I been in the Senate, I would have said, 'Why are we giving a steak dinner to big oil and a saltine cracker to the ethanol producers?'"

McCaskill added that Talent has long been a friend of the oil industry.

"Sen. Talent has received a great deal of support from the oil industry - $250,000 in campaign contribution from the oil industry," she said. "That's why back in the '80s, when I was voting to reduce the tax on gas that contained ethanol, he was voting the other way.

"I've had a clear and consistent record on ethanol my entire time in public service. It's unfair and untrue for him to mischaracterize it the way that he is."

McCaskill told those gathered that she wants to see America become energy independent, adding that to achieve such a goal will require more than an increase of ethanol production. In addition to biofuels, McCaskill wants biomass used along with wind and solar technologies.

Asked about confined animal feeding operations, McCaskill said that is an issue that "Washington should keep its big paws out of."

"The issue of CAFOs needs to be a matter of local control. We can't have people in Washington dictating what's right or wrong for local communities," McCaskill said, adding that she wants to bring an end to taxpayer subsidies to CAFOs. "I'm a strong proponent of local control on issues of health and environment when it comes to the concentrated animal feed operations."

McCaskill charged that Republicans favor local control, up to a point.

"Once the corporations involved, which are their big supporters, don't like it (local control) any more then all of a sudden it doesn't seem like they're as worried about local control," she said.

The Democrat opposes making the National Animal Identification System mandatory. She supports the current voluntary program.

"This (a mandatory ID program) would squeeze out the little guy and make it easier for the big guys to control the market," said McCaskill.

McCaskill believes that Missouri ranchers and farmers are not able to get a fair price for their livestock because of the unfair concentration in the market. She wants to open markets to give independent producers a chance to be competitive. McCaskill also proposes stricter enforcement of existing antitrust laws, a reform of captive supply contracts and greater accountability in agriculture contracts.

Fair trade is a problem faced by Missouri ranchers and farmers, according to McCaskill, citing CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) and other trade agreements. McCaskill believes that future trade pacts need to raise the labor and environmental standards of other nations so as not to discriminate against U.S. farmers.

The next farm bill will be especially important to Missouri producers, according to McCaskill. She intends to push for a bill that promotes fair prices and competition, instead of serving to subsidize cheap commodities and corporate agribusinesses.

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