Dean proposal would porhibit Packer ownership of live stock

[CMT]

In prepared remarks to be delivered in Iowa today, Howard Dean will announce a plan which he believes will strengthen the rural economy:
"Mega farms are getting bigger and bigger and getting harder for small
farmers to make a profit."

http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/21984950.html

[Mairead]

1. I think that's very good...kudos to Dean

if the law is written such that it can't be got around (e.g., by creating a different corporation that does the owning, but which in turn is owned by the packer. That's a frequent dodge, most egregiously represented recently by Enron's 86 godzillion shell companies in Barbadoes or Bermuda or wherever they were).

[samurai_jack]

2. dean....just another "johnny-come-lately" to farm issues

Where was Dean last year during the huge fight in the Senate and Congress over the Packer Ownership Bill?

Oh, that's right. He didn't have to care about it then.

In fact, the only person running who stood side by side with small farmers and ranchers was Sen. Bob Graham who not only strongly and publicly supported the packer ownership ban (an unpopular stance in FL) but also co-sponsored with SD Senator Tim Johnson the Country Of Origin Labelling bill that farmers' organizations were huge advocates of.

[dajabr]

3. He was busy helping dairy farmers in Vermont...

Northeastern Dairy Compact — Governor Dean was the driving force behind the Northeastern Dairy Compact (NEDC). He has been called that program’s “champion.” The Northeastern Dairy Compact brought about $60 million to Vermont farmers and about $180 million to Vermont’s agriculture economy overall.


Leadership in the Northeast — The NEDC aided farmers all over New England and New York, not only in Vermont. Dairy Farmers in New York and New England received almost $150 million over the course of the compact.


Expanding Markets for Farmers — Governor Dean created the position of Vermont Dairy Market Specialist in 1994 and initiated exports to Mexico that year.
Labeling: Protecting Consumers, Rewarding Farmers — Dean implemented the first voluntary rBST labeling law in the nation which encourages processors to pay premiums for non rBST milk.




Lower Taxes for Farmers — Governor Dean’s revamp of the state’s Current-Use program has meant lower property taxes for farmers.


Disaster Relief for Farmers in Need — Dean authorized payments to farmers who suffered feed loses in the floods of 1998 and 1999 when federal programs proved inadequate.


Expanding Credit for Farm Improvement — Dean created the Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation in 1999, providing farmers access to $10 million a year in capital. Nearly 800 Vermont farms have utilized this credit to capitalize farm improvements.


Land Conservation — Under Dean, Vermont was the first state in the nation to participate in the federal Farms for the Future Program. Dean’s efforts helped saved 333 farms and over 100,000 acres of farmland.




Expanding Farmers Markets — The number of farmers markets in Vermont increased from 20 in 1992 to 43 in 2000, allowing family farmers to sell their products directly to the public.


Aiding Organic Farms — Under Dean, Vermont partnered with private organizations for Northeast Organic Faming Association certification allowing the number of organic farms in Vermont to grow from 80 in 1992 to over 200 in 2000.




Requiring Responsibility from Large Farms — Under Dean, Vermont passed the Large Farm Operations law in 1996 giving the Department of Agriculture the authority to regulate very large farms.


Protecting Groundwater — Vermont was one of the first states to prohibit the spread of manure on frozen ground in the winter.


Giving Farmers the Means to Keep Vermont Clean — Dean formed a pollution control team in 1992 to reduce agriculture non-point pollution. The state spent $4.8 million to help farmers construct 1232 waste management projects on 517 Vermont farms helping eliminate over 18,000 lbs of phosphorous from Vermont waterways


Encouraging Conservation — Dean’s Department of Agriculture created the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to reduce pollution in the Lake Champlain Basin.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_record_economy_agriculture